o^t 


DR.  mm  HUEBSCH, 


OF 


The  Ahawath  Chesed  Congregation, 

NEW  YORK. 


A  MEMORIAL 


NEW  YORK. 

1885. 


Copyright,  1885,  by  Mrs.  JILIA  HUEBSCH.  N.Y. 


Annex 


H-7 


Wit  ipiitfe  tiebcr  ^rennbe,  bie  mid)  mit  iljrem 
uub  mit  SBettragcn  311111  Onfjalte  btefeS  ShidjeS 
nntcrftii^ten,  tft  e£  mir  getungen,  baffetbe  311  tier* 
b'ffentiidjen.  2Ba3  e§  fcin  mitt,  ba§  erflcirt  fein  Stttct 
gur  ©enitgc :  SDcn  ^ebenben  etn  Stnbenfen  an  ben, 
ber  etnft  SSorte  be3  ^ebeuS  ge|prodjcn  mit  gottBegna- 
beter  $raft  uitb  bcr  al8  trcuer  ^reintb  uub 
ber  fief)  beroafjrte  ber  gro^en  @emeinbef  beren 
i^m  anoertraut  luar. 

2)ie  ^afjtret^en  unb  ^crjlit^en  53ciueife 
Ieibe§,  bie  mtr  uor  einem  ^afjre  gii  Xfyil  iuurbcn, 
at8  e§  bent  uiterfor|"c()(t(f)en  $totljfti)ftt§e  be§  3lttmad^= 
tigen  gefiel,  metneu  untierge^lic^eit  ©attcu  Don  mcincr 
(Scitc  ju  rcipcn,  luaren  linberubcr  S3al|am  fiir  mein 
gramgebengtc^  Oemiitl);  biefe  ^nnbgebnngcn  be0  SD^tt* 
Don  9tol)  unb  ^ern  crraecften  in  mtr  ben 
ben  .  $reunbcn  bc§  S5crcit)igtcn  al8  3c^cn 
meine§  tiefempfnnbenen  SDanfcS  ein  hjitrbigcs  5lnben!cn 
an  ifm  bar^nreic^en,  ba§  bie  (Srinncrnng  an  i§n  mad) 
fjatte  unb  if)n  Dor  ba3  geiftige  Singe  fitfjrc  in  feiner 
gan}en  liekngmitrbigcn  ^erfontic^feit,  aiic  cr  nnter 
un8  wanbctte  unb  mit  nn§  Icbte. 

CD 


Ijter  jum  erftcu   3Watc   gefammelt    crfdjetnen* 
beu  pDctifdjcu  (Srjeiigntjje  beS  2)af)ingefdn'cbeitcn,  obiDoIjl 
nitr  jumcift  gefdjricbcn    ju    eigcucm  SSergnugen,     met- 
Icicfyt  oljne  bie  $(bftd)t,   fte  je  511   toeroffentlidjen,  jeigen 
fo  feljr  ba§   ©ebanfentcben   bc§   ^crfaffcr^   baft   id)  fte 
ncbeit    [emeu     9tcbcn     btcfcm     ©ebenflntdje     ctituerlctbt 
Ijabe;    fte   ftnb   ©etfte§!tnber   jencr   g(i'tc!Itcf)cn   Stunbcn, 
ba  cv   in   bcv   ©tide     feiner     (Stubirftubc     ftcl)    in  bie 
@efell|d)aft     ber  SBcifcn     fritfjcrcr    3c^cn     un^     fcnter 
^ciitbcr     juritcv^ieljeu     ititb     tit     ifjren     (^ctft    ocrfcnfcn 
tomttc;    fte   ftnb  bie   33Iumcn,     mit    bciteit     cr    ftcf)    bie 
evitfter  ^Sflic^t^   unb   33eruf§arbeitcn   ur:fdjonte. 

c^  fttrje  3C^  uacd  jcncm  [djiDcrftcit  (Sd^trf* 
fafefd^tagc  auc^  itoc§  ben  ^erben  iBcrtuft  ntciner  ge^ 
liebteit  Gutter  511  bctteinen  (jatte,  bradjte  c§  mir  in 
ben  ftnftcrn  ^tuitbcn  nteine§  ©ranted  ^roft  nnb  @r- 
Ijcbung,  [cine  SBortc  %n  tefen;  mogeu  fie  aud^  ?td)t 
mtb  (Srqnicfnng  bicten  bent  toeiten  ^reife  feiner  Jreunbe 
nnb  tnoge  biefcS  33ucl)  baju  beitragen,  ba§  Wnbenfen 
beffen,  bent  e3  in  ititDcrgdngtic^er  ?tebe  geiueifjt  tft, 
511  einem  afle^eit  gefegneten  nnb  nnt)erge§tid^en  gu. 
ntac^en  ! 


SRen?  gorl,  10.  Oftober  1885. 

Onlie   § 

geb.  $?inf§. 


CONTENTS. 


PA8B. 

1.  ADOLF   HUEBSCH,     Biographic. 

Von    Dr.  ISAAC  M.  WISE.  I  -  XIH 

2.  Gedankenkreis  des  Jiidischen  Orients. 

Von  Dr.  ADOLF  HUEBSCH.  1 

3.  Anmerkuiigen  zu 

Gedankenkreis  des  Jiidischen  Orients.  53 

4.  Predigteii  mid  Reden. 

Von  Dr.  ADOLF  HUEBSCH.  59 

5.  Sermons.     Delivered 

by  Dr.  ADOLPH  HUEBSCH.  106 

6.  OBSEQUIES  and  TRIBUTES 

To  his  memory.  307 


Unter  ber  Ketnen  ©cfyaar  jiibifdjer  banner,  bte  al3  &ef)rer  beS 
3=ubent()itm3  unb  £ragcr  bcr  j,itbt|d)cn  2Btffen|d)aft  au§  (Sitropa  ju 
un3  Ijeritbergefommcn  unb  bie  Sttufgabe  fatten,  ifyre  (55eifte§id)a£e 
imb  ©eifteSbfittljctt  grofjcrcn  $rctfen  burd)  Sort  unb  ©djrift  tntt* 
gutl)cttcn,  bem  nocf)  fliiffigen  amertfanii^cn  ^ubcntljum  9?tct)tung 
unb  ©cftattung  ^u  gebeit  unb  bemfdben  einen  fctbftanbtgen  (5I)a* 
rafter  cmfjuprcigen,  in  bte]"cmf(cinen^ret[cbeut[d)rebcnberajJanner, 
bencn  bie  97atur  bte  Slnlagcn  ^um  Solf^tefjrcr  uerltcfjcn  nnb  btr 
bcutfd)c  ^>od)fci)nte  ju  3(rd)tteften  ber  jitbtfdjen  ®t(|enfd)aft  au^ge* 
btlbct  t)at,  war  bcr  ucrftorbcnc  ®r.  2lbotf  ^uebfd),  bcr  crfte 
^abbincr  ber  3U)an>atl)  Sljefeb  ©emeinbe  in  92eto  ?)arf,  eine 
ragcnbe  unb  bebcutcnbe  s]3cr)"cin(td)fctt.  ®d)on  bte  (inhere 
nung  bc§  I)od)gctuad)fcncn  unb  frafttg  gcbautcn  OJJanneS  ntit  ber 
mclobt|d)cn  ^aritonftimmt,  in  beffen  offcncm  3lnt(t^c  ber  alt* 
Jlaffifdje  STijpuS  unb  ber  ebtere  9)?ag^ar  fjarmonifd)  oerfdjmoljen 
p  fcin  fdjicnen,  iDarcn2(d)tung  crraecfcnb  unb  SScrtrauen  ctnflo^enb, 
aid  t)attc  bie  Siatur  U)n  ab]"td)tli(^  ba^u  au^crtefcn,  @etfter  ju  bc= 
etnfluffen  unb  511  Icnfcn.  9iod)  mel)r  aber  tnaren  e§  bie  IjcrrUdjcn 
3tn(agen  k§  ©eiftcs  unb  be^  ^erjtnS,  bie  toon  $Bifien3brang,  I)od>- 
flutljenbcn  (5entutl)5niogen  unb  ebkm  (itjrgei^c  jur  (gntfaltung  unb 
9xcife  gctricben,  iljn  jitm  23o(f£lef)rer,  ^orfdjer  unb  Xrager  ber 
SBi[|cnfd)aft  fo  tooUfommcn  entroicfeltcn  unb  bie  IJftcufdjen  in  atlen 
^rcifcn  (etned  Umgangcs  an  i^n  feffelten. 

£)em  ffitdjttgen  S3cobad)ter  fd^icn  ber  SBcrftorbcne  etn  (Songto* 
merat  Don  Siberfpruc^cn,  unb  bod)  war  er  etn  2#anu  au§  einem 
(Su[(c,  focm  bie  ©d)ute  unb  bie  ©djule  bc§  ScbenS  nur  bte  a'ufjcre 
^onn  aufgcpragt,  bcr  t»on  ^ttflcn  IjcrauS  fid)  |o  etgenartig  gcftaltet 
tjat.  ©cltfamcr  iEBctfe  paarten  (id)  in  ifjm  9Bt^,  etn  fciner  §umor, 


—  n  — 

ber  nid)t  fdten  fid)  sum  earfadmud  fteigertc,  tnit  einem  beftanbigen 
grofjfinn  unb  etner  finbltrf)  jarteu  ©utmiitfyigfeit,  unb  ed  fefjltcn 
ifjm  nte  bie  SBorte,  btefe  ober  jene  ©emutfydbewegung  sum  9lud- 
bntde  ju  bringen.  SiebeDoll  unb  sortltd)  aid  ©atte,  23ater,  greunb 
unb  Sdjrer,  fonnte  er  ftramm  unb  barfd)  bem  ©egner  cntgcgcn= 
trcten  unb  mit  ber  Si^orfe  ber  Sogif  ba§  ^BetBenbe  ber  3ronie  Der= 
btnbcn. 

(5r  fd)ten  g(eicf)bered)ttgten  ©eiftern  gegenitber  finbtid)  nad)giebig 
unb  gefitgtg  unb  fid)  gerne  unterorbnenb,  matjrenb  er  bod)  ftramm 
unb  nic^t  fettcn  bt^  gur  £mrtnarftgfett  geftetgert,  feme  Ucbcrjcugung 
unb  Slnfdjanungen  ju  oerfcd)tcn  bcrctt  war.  Sin  an§  (gr^abene 
ftrctfenber  ^at{)o§,  ein  l)ol)cr,  mannli Acr  Grnft,  ber  letdjt  auS  eincm 
fraftigen  3wccfberr)UBtfetn  ftromt,  gab  fetner  9?ebe  einen  propfyett- 
fdjen  Stjarafter,  lua'Ijrenb  er  mit  etncr  merhDiirbigen  Seidjtigfeit  ju 
2Bi£  unb  Sd)erj  iibcrgeljcn  fonnte,  ofjne  feme  @emiitt)5ftimmung 
fid)t(id)  ju  anbcrn,  wad  it)n  ?um  aupcrorbentlid)  geroanbtcn,  unb 
ba()er  fe^r  erfo(greid)cn  23olf3rebner  madjtc.  (gr  war  mcrfrourbigcr* 
wetfe  ibealtfttfd)  unb  rcaliftifd)  sugtetd)  ange(egt,ftreng  praftifdj  unb 
Dtfionar  poeti|"(^,  Doller  Siberfpriid)e  fitr  ben  oberfladjltdjen  23e- 
obac^ter,  unb  boc^  fiir  be;t  3)?cnfd)enfcnncr  war  er  ein  !2ftann  aud 
einem  ©uffe,  ein  genmbcter,  l)armonifd)cr  Stjarafter,  eine,  aud 
tt)rcm  cigenen  ^crne  emporgefdjofiene,  ftoljc  Ojidje.  Urn  biefc 
Stberfpriidje  §u  erftarcn,  mup  man  oor  SUIcm  wiffen,  ba^  ber 
SSerftorbme  Qv&t  unb  Ungar  war,  ber  tm  vSdjoojje  bed  3u^ell= 
tijiimd  unb  in  ber  magl)artfd)en  ^Itmovpijare  Ijerangewa^fcn,  an 
ben  23riiften  ber  fiibifd)cn5Stffenfd)aft  fduen  ©cift  genaljrt  unb  i^n 
unter  bem  dinilifatton^  unb  grei^eitobrang  ber  llngarn  geftaltet 
l^at,  unb  ba  muptcn  bie  Slnlagcn  bed  ©cifted  unb  bed  ^crjend  fid) 
fo  Dielfeitig  unb  anfdjetncnb  wiberfprud)<5DolI,geftaIten.  Sftanmuj}, 
um  ^r.  2lbo(f  §uebf^  $u  bcgreifen  unb  fo  red)t  $u  witrbtgen, 
feine  ^aufbaljn  t>on  ber  Siege  bid  gum  ©rabe  berfolgcn  unb  gu 
bicfcm  ^wecfe  fct  fotgenbe  fummarifd^e  &ti$$t  feined  Sebend  ^ier 
Derjeidjnet. 


^m  >3tdbtd)en  St.  ^tcotaud  in  llngarn  treteit  wir  in  bie  be- 
fc^eibene  Sodnung  ber  glitrflidicn  gl)e(eute  Ooad)im  unb  Qniie 
§ueb|"d).  S3ater  3°nd)ini  ift  ^affircr  unb  Icbt  bcfdjcibcn  unb  311- 


—  m  — 


frieben  mit  feiner  fleinen  ^amilie  Don  bem  geringen  (Sinfommen, 
bad  bicfe  3telle  abttirft.  £)ie  etnfarfje  SBotjnung  ift  bod)  bcr  2)ttt* 
telpuntt  fitr  bie  ©cbitbetcn  unb  5lngefel)c:icn  ber  0cmcinbe,  betm 
33ater  ^oo^tm  ift  ein  getefyrtcr  Sftann,  bcr  Did  im  £a(mub  unb 
anberen  33itd)ern  getefen,  unb  9)httter  ^ufie  ift  toegen  ifyrcd  ^ci^ed, 
Hjrer  $er$endgitte  unb  iljred  fcinen  Slnftanbcd  aUgcmcin  bclicbt. 
(Sd  Derfcfyrt  jomtt  bie  O^^Wig6"^  ^m  ^uebi'cf)'frf)en  §aufe  ju  'St. 
Ocxicolau$,  angc^ogcn  Don  ber  IHebengiuitrbigfeit  ber  SOJutter  imb 
ber  ©clc^rfamfcit  bc£  SSatcr^. 

3lm  18.  September  1830  imrb  biefen  gtitcf(id)en  (SItcrn  iljr 
britter  Sol)it  geboren,  ber  arfjt  Xage  fph'ter  2(bral)ani,  fpatcr  aiirf) 
Slbolf  genannt  luurbe  3e^)n  -3^^  tnng  tu(id)ft  ber  St!nabe  itntcr 
biefen,  feiner  geiftigen  (Sntn)i(fetung  gcnn'J3  gitnftigen  23crl)olrniffen 
auf  ;  bie  Gutter  bilbet  ba^  §er^,  ber  35ater  unb  bie  niid)fte  Umge* 
bunj  gebcn  bent  ©eifte  bie  9ftd)tung.  (Sr  tnirb  friil)  jur  @d)ulc  ge? 
fd)icftr  mufe  nebft  ben  geit)bb,nlid)en  ^c^rgegcnftcinbcn  fcl)r  uic(  §e- 
brciifd)  treiben  unb  iviirb  batb  al8  talentDoUer,  fleipiger  unb  gutge* 
artetcr  £nabe  im  ©tabtd)en  ancrfannt  $tf)n  -^ci^re  alt  ift  unfer 
2(bolf  fd)on  fitr  bad  ®t)tnnafium  Dorbereitet  unb  tt»irb  1840  nadj 
^eft  gefdjicft,  luo  er  bis  1845  ba3  eoangelifcfje  ©qmnafium  frcqueti* 
tirt.  3)abet  I)6rt  cr  abcr  nid)t  auf  ^ebraif^  jit  treiben,  U)ie  ba3 
bamals  noc^  aUgcmcine  Sitte  tuar,  ba^  man  in  befferen  jitbifdjcn 
^reifen  fic^  nidjt  bcracgen  fonnte,  of)ne  ein  gutcr  ^ebra'er  gu  fcin. 
9J?an  ftanb  ba  nod)  ber  9J?ca3pf)im^3eU*)  nafye,  bie  auf  rcine  unb 
correfte  5)iftion  befonbern  SBertb,  legtc.  Die  ©ebitbeten  Don  5t. 
^icotau^  geljorten  lt>ot)l  Dor^itglii^  fener  Piaffe  an,  mit  ber  unfer 
5lbolf  in  ^eft  erft  rcd)t  in  innige  33eriU)rung  !am. 

$m  Qafyn  1845  nn'rb  ber  junge  Stubiofud  ats  getjrer  in  ber 
ifraelittfd)en  Sdjnle  in  Slttofcn  angcftcltt  unb  beljauptct  fid)  in 
biefer  etellung  bid  1848.  (Sr  Derbficb  fomit  unter  bcitfelben  ge* 
fellf^aftlid)en  (Sinftuffcn,  nur  baft  man  bamald  in  gebilbetcn 
^reifen  mit  bcfonberem  (Sifer  nebft  ber  att*f)ebraifd)cnvv'iteratur  auc^ 
bie  3Berfe  Don  3unS'  3!otX  9^appaport,  gujjotto,  9tccjgto  unb 
trodjmat  lad,  mad  ben  ©eift  ^uebfc^'d  aufd  I)iftorifdj4ritifd)e 


*)3Kea£pIjttn  Ifl  ber  SJame  ber  £erau3aefrer  ber  3eitW?tift:  ,,^iameafep^",  tur*  trelie  bie 
eon  fDZenbelSfo^n  infptrirtcn  jutiid;en  ©fleWcn  eine  gefunbe  ^3^  ber  fyebratjAeu  2prad>e 
unter  ben  Juben  anjuba^nen  flrcbtcn. 


—  IV  — 

@ebiet  lenfte.  (£r  fyatte  fid)  tie  gorm  bagu  auf  bem  ©gmnaftum 
enuorben,  mo  ifyn  Dorjitgltd)  bie  flaffifdjen  Spradjen  befdjaftigten. 

£>aben  loir  fo  bie  eine  9ftd)tung  ^iibfdj'S  auS  bicfen  Cuellen 
erfatmt,  gelangen  ttrir  imn  jur  ,$tt)ettcn.  £te  3a^rc  1840—1848 
ttwren  fitr  llngant  eine  Sturm*  unb  Trangperiobe.  ($3  crnwd)te 
in  ber  Nation  ein  greiljcitsbrang,  bcr  in  ben  Grcigniffen  Don  1848 
culmintrte.  ©erabe  biefe  -3;al)re  Derlcbte  2lbolf  ^fmebfd)  in  ober 
nat)e  bcr  ungartfdjeu  ^auptftabt,  ino  bie  2tufrcgung  aUe  ©cmiil^cr 
ergriffen  unb  befonberd  bie  ftubtrenbe  ^^genb  mtt  fortriB.  ^webjd) 
murbe  au^  feinem  fpejifijd)  jitbi|d)en  f  rcife  IjerouSgebrangt,  ber 
Ungar  trat  in  ben  23orbergrunb,  cr  wurbe  patriot  unb  enbtid) 
Solbat,  frctrattltger  Solbat  in  1848  unb  bradjte  e^  gum  Officicr  in 
einem  ^onoeb^egiment.  (gr  Ijarrte  au3  im  X)icnfte  bi^  imd)  ber 
ungUtcfiidjcn  2d)Iad)t  Don  25t(ago^.  eein  Sorp^  luurbe  aufgclbft 
unb  er  feljrte  ju  fcinen  (SItern  ^uritcf,  bie  tnbcffen  nad)  ^eft  iiber= 
fiebett  loaren.  ^)icr  ift  ber  ^mette  ®d)Iu[fct  juin  ^uebidffd)cn  Sljcu 
rafter,  in  iweldjem  bcr  3ube  unb  bcr  Ungar,  bcr  nnBbegtcrige  ^or- 
)"d)cv  unb  ber  geraiegte  Seltmann  fid)  fo  l)armontfd)  berchtigtcn. 

Dcr  gelbjug  ^atte  ben  ^iingUng  Slbolf  §uebfd)  gum  OJJanne 
gereift.  (Sr  fiil)(te  fid)  gcbrungen  eine  Samere  gu  tudfjlcn;  bie 
ante-bellum  (Jinbriicf e,  bie  er  in  f ctncr  ^ugenb  empfangen,  brang= 
ten  il)n  natitrlid)  jur  Xljeotogic  f)tn.  ®aju  fam  nod)  bcr  bcfonbcre 
llmftanb,  bay  in  bcr  ^ueb[d)'fd)en  ^amitte  bie  Strabitton  fid)  er= 
l)ielt,  ba§  fie  Don  ©amnet  3;afn^)  (nD11  ^Niau)  abftammc,  chier 
gamtlie,  bie  tjeroorragenbe  Sapa^itatcn,  ©clefyrte  unb  2d)riftftc(Ier 
aufjuiDetfcn  ^at. 

(Samuel  ^afab,  2lfd)!enafi,  toatjrfdjeinlid)  ber  33ruber  be§  9)Jor= 
becfjai  ^afab,,  SSerfaffcr  b:^  gcbufd)  unb,  luti  btefer,  urfpriingltd) 
oud  336t)men,  war  (Snbe  bc5  fcdj^jc^nten  3al)vl)i:nbcrtd  9?abbtner 
in  Gonftantinopd,  luo  aud)  feme  Sol}iie,-3ofcf  unt  Si&ot,  unb  fetn 
(infcl,  2)^enad)cm,  im  ftcbjcljnten  ^a^r^unbcrt  beriiljmt  roaren; 
bicfcr  Samuel  -^afaf)  ift  Doqitglidift  al^  l)omiletifd)cr  Sd)riftftcllcr 
in  bcr  iitbifdjen  Citeratur  bcriiljint  geroorbcn.  Gr  fd)rieb  au^ge= 
jeidjncte  Gommentare  gu  ben  §agabaftellen  bed  ferufalemitifdjen 
Xalmub^  unb  gu  Derfd)iebencn  9)tibrafd)im,  bte  allerbing^  auf  bie 
^rebigtmettjobe  §ucbfd)'$  eincn  bcbcutenbcn  Ginflitp  au&ibtcn,  ob 
burd)  SSererbung  obcr  Stubium  mug  baljingcftellt  bletben.  Wlit 
ben  Xi'irfen  famen  Dtcle  jiibifd)e  gainilien  au^  bent  Orient  nacb,  llu* 


—  V  — 

garn  unb  roafjrfdjeinUd)  and)  ein  £f)eil  ber  Stfcfy  $amtfte.  £)er 
@rof#atcr  unfereS  9lbo(f  £webfd)  Ijiefj  nod)  @amuel  ^afafy,  nrie 
fein  llrafyne  in  Gonftanttnopel.  ©pater  nmrbe  ber  Sftame  $afal) 
germanifirt,  in  2361)men  uwrbe  cr  in  ,,<Sd)5n"  unb  in  llngarn  in 
,,§uebfd)"  umgeiuanbelt.  ©iefe  gamilientrabition  f)at  fidjerlid) 
baju  beigetragen,  baft  Slboif  Duebfd)  in  feinem  jtoan^tgften  8cben&= 
jafyre  alien  Srnfte^  fid)  bem  -Stnbium  ber  X()eo(ogie  wibmete,  fonrie 
fpater  fcinc  Ijomilctifdjc  2)tett)obe  fid)tlid)  beeinfluBte. 

Sie  aber  (tubierte  man  Xfyeologie  tn  fenen  ^tagen  ber  SRe* 
naifjance?  Wlan  ging  auf  eine  -^efdjiba,  ber  immer  ein  beriifjmter 
9Jabbi  einer  Xalmubid)ute  worftanb,  unb  ftubierte  ben  Xalmitb. 
£)ie3  tljat  a«(^  ^tbolf  ^uebfd). 

@r  ging  1849  nad)  ^a!§,  IDO  ber  namfjafte  9?abbi  Julius  tin* 
gar  lefyrte,  unb  ftubierte  bort  flei^tg  bt^  1853  ganj  nad)  otter  £ef)r>- 
ainb  ^ernineife,  unb  bradjte  c§  ju  folder  $ortreffltd)!eit  in  ber  tal* 
mubifc^en  £)ia(eftif  unb  ber  fafuiftifd)en  ©elel)rfamfeit,  baft  feme 
£el)rer  unb  ber  Oberrabincr  Seen)  <S(^tt)ab  in  ^eft  i^nt  ba^  3eu9s 
ni§  ber  aftaturittit  alg  autorifirter  9?abbincr  mnm 
fteUten. 

(So  rourbe  in  ttier  3^^^^  Qud  bem  @t)tnnafiaften, 
unb  ©olbaten  ber  tiierunb^wanjtgja^rige  9?abbi  Stbotf 
5lu*  ber  gaffer  ®d)ute  fonnten  nur  ftreng  ort!)obore  9?abbiner  ^er- 
dorget)en,  alfo  fyatte  nnfer  ,*puebf^  !eine  ©djtwerigfeit  eine 
Slnftellung  511  finben.  £)ie  ©enmnbe  Don  23Zia»a  mal)Ite  ifyn  fofort 
unb  er  ftanb  ifyr  at«  9?abbiner  oon  1854  bt§  I85t  oor,  toar  beliebt, 
gead)tet  unb  angefe^en,  aber  nid)t  jufrieben. 

@o  (ange  ^uebfd)  auf  ber  @d)ule  in  'pafg  fid)  in  ben.  £a(mub 
tiertiefte,  fanb  fein  ©eift  !)in(anglicl)  9?at)rung  unb  e3  lonnte  i^m 
gelingen,  ba3  ^ragmcntarifdje  unb  Un5uganglid)c  feine§  Stiffens 
ttJenigftenS  ^eitweiltg  ju  iiberfet)eu.  5l(^  er  aber  auf  baS  Monotone 
unb  2IUta'glid)e  ber  vabbinifd)en  ^rari§  in  einer  ftetnen  ort^obojen 
@cmeinbe  angen)iefen  war  unb  mieber  bie  neueu  ^robuf'te  beS  jitbi- 
fd^en  ©eifteS  ju  (efen  anfing,  ba  briicfte  unb  ocrftimmtc  i^n  ba« 
33enw§tfein  ber  ^palbtjeit.  ®a«  ertragt  ein  folder  ®eift  nid)t 
longer  at§  er  mu^.  Wit  einer  ©trebfamfeit  unb  einem  nniiber^ 
tninblic^en  ^elbftoertrauen,  tt)ie  einft  ber  ^onoeb^Off icier  auf  bie 
3efd)iba  nat^  ^afs  ging  unb  Dter  ^}a^ve  tang  fid)  in  ben  ^almub 
oerlicfte,  fo  ging  jcfct  ber  freiinilltge  @j:-iKabbt  oon  3)^iaoa  al^  fie* 


—  VI  — 

benunbjtDan$igjaf)riger  Oftann  nad)  ^rag  uub  fe£te  fid)  bort  auf 
bie  afabemifdje  Sdjutbanf.  3m  £>erbfte  1858  finbcn  lutr  imfent 
9?abbi  SIboIf  §uc^1^  Q^  orbentlidjen  £)brer  an  ber  pljilofopfjifdjen 
2Ibtt)etIung  bcr  ^ragcr  Unioerfitat  unb  tm  Qafyn  1861  tnurbe  er 
jum  doctor  ber  ^Mjilofopfyie  promooirt. 

<Sd)ott  ttafyrenb  feiner  (£tubien$eit  ttmrbe  Dfabbi  §uebfd)  Don 
ben  jubifdjen  ©ele^rten  ^3rag^  imter  weldjen  bamald  etn  9iappa= 
port,  gfremtb,  ^ampf,  2Be[[etQ  unb  Sanbau  g(iin^cnb  ^eroorracjten, 
mtt  SluS^etdjnung  befyanbelt.  2)?an  fdjii^te  feincn  tDtpegicrtgcn 
u»b  ftreb[amen  ©eift  nidjt  minber,  al$  I'etne  robbinifd)e  ©ele^rfam* 
feit  unb  feincn  offenen  unb  bieberen  (Efyaralter.  (5r  lourbc  Don 
ben  gelefyrttn  §erren  aid  ein  jiingerer  ©enoffe  (*>.2n  "PD^n)  be= 
h-adjtet  unb  befyanbelt.  2)ad  trug  ttjnt  jroeterlet  §riid)te;  e§ 
^og  fcinen  ©cift  in  bie  prager  ober  melmefyr  in  bie  9\apaport= 
Sanbau')"d)e  9Jtd)timg  I)tnetn,  unb  einpfab,!  ib,n  be  tm  ^3ubtifum,  fo 
ba§  er  batb  nad)  fetncr  promotion  al33Rabbiner  unb  'prebiger  etncr 
bebeutenben  prager  ©emeinbe  geroa{)(t  niurbe.  jDicfc  (Efyre  tear  in 
^rag  nod)  £einem,  mit^uona^me  ber  brei  Oberrabbiner  ber  prager 
Srabtgemeinbe,  ttjtberfa^ren;  in  ben  einjelnen  ©emeinben  n>ab,tte 
man  nur  ^rebiger  unb  SfJeltgionSleb.rer. 

^n  fetnem  swetunbbretpigftenSeben^ja^re^eirat^ete  Dr.  §uebfd) 
feine  (Souftne,  grMcin  9ttna  StnfS,  mit  ber  er  gliicf(id)  Icbte;  an* 
biefer  (5t)e  entfproffen  brei  Minber,  r>on  benen  bae  iitngfte  tn  02ero 
9)orf  ftarb.  @benfo  ereitte  ein  friitycr  Xob  jeine  treue  £cben?gc= 
faljrtm  nad)  emem  furjen  Slufentfjatte  in  itjrer  neuen  §eimatt)  in 
Slmerifa. 

On  ^Prag  luurbe  Dr.  £mebfd)  aB  ftreb[amcr  ©eteljrtcr  unb 
ad)tbarer  (5b,araftcr  l)od)cie|d)a^t.  ©cine  fteijjig  gcarbcitctcu  ^re= 
btgten,  btc  ciitcn  gtitrfltdjcn  llebergang  Don  ber  altcrtfyiunlidjen 
Drafdja  gum  formgered)ten  ^an^etoortrag  bilbetcn,  aber  burd)  eine 
fernig  beuti'dje  X'iftion  unb  eble  35orrrag«fttiei|e  aud)  ba^  gebilbete 
^Sublthim  feffetten,  crraarbcn  ttjm  batb  ben  9vuf  eincS  au^gc^eidjne,- 
ten  Sanselrebner^,  bcr,  tuie  uur  gtcid)  fetjen  toerben,  aud)  3icn> 
?)orf  erreidjte.  2tuBcrl)aIb  ber  ©emeinbe  tie^  Dr.  ^ucbfd)  crft  Don 
au§  Don  fid)  fjb'ren. 

Gr  fdjrtcb  eine  9?eif)e  pl)ito(ogifd)cr  unb  {jiftorifdjer  fritifd)er 
bie  t^etl^  im  ^Ben^Gb/ananiab,  nub  tfjcils  in  b:n 
Slattern  fitr  morgenldnbt[d)e  giteratur  erfdjtcnen  unb  gcrne  gelcfen 


—  vn  — 

ttmrben.  Seine  §onptarbeit  im  Ontercffe  ber  jiibifdjen  SBtffen* 
fdjaft  mar  bie  §erau$gabe  ber  f  unf  %)l  e  g  i  1  f  o  1  I),  (ben  Ijcbraifdjen 
£ejt  pnnftirt,  bie  ftyrifdje,  Peschito,  Ueberfctymg,)  einem  in 
einem  ©ger  2ttad)for  fyanbfdjriftlid)  Dorgefimbenenljcln-aifdjen&mt* 
mentor/  100311  er  cine  Gjinleitung  unb  einen  Dcrgleid)enbcnGotnmen= 
tar  in  fyebraifdjcr  Spradje  fytnjufiigte.  £)a3  33ud)  erfdjicn  1865  in 
$rag  unb  liefertc  ben  23ctnei3,  baft  beffen  Slutor  nub  9?cbafteur 
gliict(tcf)  unb  fleipig  gearbcitet  unb  fid)  in  bie  prager  ^enfrid)tung 
Ijineiiigclebt  Ijatte,  bie  eine  ente\(Jet.'erc  Stufe  ber  unmittctbar  nod)* 
menbelsfofynifdjen  ^eriobe  bitbetc.  SDhn  Ijatte  bie  »erg(etd)cnben 
®prad)ftubicn,  bie  neuere  (Srcgefe  unb  bie  £im%$top$CtyQTtffy  lite* 
rarljiftorifdje  STitif  ben  SSorgongern  oorouS/  frittfirte  unb  [pefulirte 
gan?  frehnutfjig,  toagte  e§  ober  nidjt,  fid)  mcit  oom  ftrcng  ortljoboren 
lifer  gu  entferncn.  X>a§  war  aud)  ber  Stanb  punt  t  unf  ereS  ®r. 
§uebfd),  gu  bcm  er  in  '•JJrag  fid)  emporgearbeitct,  unb  ba$  tear  cin 
bebeutenber  ^ortfdjritt  fiir  einen  ^i^S^  ^er  ^crffer  Sdjute,  ber 
fd)on  in  bem  geteb.rten  9?abbt  ben  9Kann  beg  5ortfd)ritte«  a^nen 


Seben  unfere«  ^etben  trot  nun  ein  greignij?  ein, 
ben  gritbelnben  @e(e()rtcn  in  ben  frcien,  gcniafcit  unb  tfjatfraftigen 
^oftor  ^)itebfd)  oerwanbette.  ij)ie  bamaU  nod)  flctnc,  meiften^  au§ 
•^Bo^men  bcftet)cnbe,  rf9l^an)at^  Sl)efeb  ©emeinbe"  in  ^en>  9)orf 
b/atte  cine  ^ird)e  gefauft  unb  in  eine  Stynagoge  umgemanbctt  unb 
moltte  biefe  nad)  bol)mtfd)cm  3Jiufter  311  cincr  r,df)or=Sd)uIe"  ein» 
rid)tcn.  tabard)  ttiurbe  bie  ©emeinbe  ju  bcm  Crntfdjluffe  gcbrangt, 
einen  ^rebiger  unb  Stabbinen  anjuftcllcn;  an  ber  Spi^e  biefer  ©e= 
meinbe  ftanb  bamat^  ber  tuadere  unb  ocrbtenftDolIe  ^err  3gna^ 
©tein  (geft  16.  iftot).  1880),  ber  oierunb  jwanjig  ^a^re  t)inburd) 
feine  aufopfernbe  Xb,atigfeitbiefcr@cmeinbe  at«  ^raftbent  inibmcte; 
feine  5lufmerffamfeit  wurbe  nad)  ^rag  unb  auf  1)r.  ^ucbfd)  ge? 
len!t,  unb  balb  barauf  wurbe  Stbotf  §uebfd),  im  ^agre  1866  Don 
ber  2tt)awatl)  S^cfeb  ©eiueiube  berufen  unb  Ictftete  bem  9tufc,  ber 
bamats  nod)  f  (einen  ©emeinbe  B'olge- 

!Dr.  §ucbfd)  fain  mit  grau  unb  £mbern  nad)  D^eiu  5)orf,  murbe 
Don  ben2Jlitgtiebern  feiner  ©cmeinbe  gaftfreunbUd)  empfangen  nnb 
^au§ltd)  eingertd)tet/  trat  mit33egetftcrung  in  bent  neucn  2Birfung«* 
frcife  auf  unb  eriDorb  fid)  lcid)t  bad  33ertrouen  unb  bie  §od)od)tnng 
ber  ©emeinbe.  (5r  Ijatte  freilid)  mit  mti5lid)en  3Ser()a(tniffen  unb 


_vni  — 

fcfMiteqlidjen  Unfallen  ju  fampfen.  Crr  oertor  in  fur^em  3eitraume 

bie  geliebte  ©attin  unb  cm  $inb;  biefer  Ijcrbe  3d)lag  bcugtc  ifyn 

roofyl,  aber  er  entmutfyigte  iljn  ntd)t.  Seine  SSofjnnng  lag  in  einem 

batnate  fd)on  roentg  beliebtcn  Stabttljctle  9?ero  9)orF3,  in  bcm  fid) 

bie  (Stjnagoge  befanb,  nnb  ebenfo  bie  meiften  ©emeinbemttglteber 

rootjntcn,  roaS  ifyn  tljeilroetfe  Don  ber  ©efetlfdjaft,  bie  er  ate  Um= 

gang  rou'nfd)te,  entfernte.  £)ie  ©emeinbe  getjorte  bamalS  nod)  nidjt 

311  ben  fyeroorragenben  nnb  angefeb/encn;  ber  $}ert^  emeS  9^abbt= 

ncr§  ttirb  aber  geii>ol)ntid)  bem  5lnieb,en  ber  ©emetnbe  gcmtijs  be^ 

ftimmt  unb  ba  natitrlid)  betrad)tete  man  5Dr.  ^uebfd)  ate  ben 

bol)mi[d)en  9?abbtner,  bem  man  leine  bcfonbere  Slufmcrffamfeit 

fdjnfbig  311  fein  gtanbte.    S)a3U  fam  nod)  ber  befonbere  Umftanb, 

ba§  er  fetn  *Siibbeitt[d)er  roar,  unb  ba3  mu^te  man  bamaU  in 

9?cro  ?)orf  feiit,  um  in  jitbiid)en  ^reifen  aid  t)offat)ig  anerfannt  git 

roerbcn.    ^ucbfd)  rourbe  alfo,  )'o  lange  e§  ging,  oornel)in  ignortrt. 

6in  @enie  la^t  ficb,  wof)(  t>on  mtBtidjen  SSer^altniffcn  eine  $eit 

lang  eini"d)itd)tern  unb  I)cmmen,  aber  e3  Ia§t  fid)  ntd)t  Dcrbra'ngen; 

bae  fjat  aud)  ^uebfd)  beroiefen,  obroot)(  cr  langcre  gcit  baran 

bad)te,  nad)  ber  atten  £>cimatf)  juriicfjufeb^ren,  aber  Doi^ug(id)  ba* 

ruin,  roeU  cr  in  fetnen  gelefyrten  Strbetten  burd)  2lmt?pflid)ten  fid) 

untcrbrod)cn  fab,,  unb  bie  5lu^fid)t  $eit  311  geroinncn,  immer  roin- 

jigcr  rourbe.    9?afd)  arbcitete  cr  fid)  unter  ber  2fttttef!laffe  beutfd) 

rebeubcr  3fraelttcn  gu  Slnerfennung  unb  5tnfel)cn  empor,  rourbe 

ati  ^anjelrebncr  allgcmctn  bcliebt,  ate  Seljrer  roert()gefd)a^t  unb 

ate  geift(id)cr  53eamter  b,od)gead)tet,  fo  baj?  er  batb  aud)  aufjerfyalb 

ber  ©cmctnbe  gu  gctftlid)en  gunftioncn  oielfad)  berufcn  rourbe.    (Sr 

trat  bcfdjeiben  auf,  fd)Iug  in  fetnen  ^anjdtiortragen  einen  rub.tgen, 

mapigen  fortfd)rittlid)en  Jon  an,  ob.ne  fid)  fefbft  ober  bie  ©emeinbe 

3U  itberftursen,  Iie§  immcr  bie  ^uriicfgeblicbcne  Crtfyobojie  fiib,len, 

ba§  er  il)r  md)t  ange^ort  unb  arbcitete  mtt  SIeit5,  9^ul)e  unb  (5ner- 

gie  an  bem  Sluf-  unb  Slu^bau  ber  ©emeinbc,  bie  aud)  in  furjer 

geiftig  unb-  numcrifd)  erftarlte  unb  fiir  ctncn  Dcrniinftigcn 

fdjritt  tiorbereitct  roar.   9?ad)bcm  unfcr  Softer  bie  ^offnung 

fonnte,  fid)  in  9^cro  9)orf  eine  beftanbige  §eimatb,  gritnbcn  5U 

fonncn,  rctfte  er  nad)  bem  atten  SBatcrlanbe  unb  roarb  nnt  fcine 

Confine  ftrcuUein  3u(ta  ginte,  bie  ate  ©attin  Ujiu  ®Iii(f  unb 

(Scgcn  in^  §au§  brad)te  unb  bi$  ^n  fcinem  Vcbcn^cnbe  fcin  §eim 

mit  Vicbe  unb  ©emiitb^fulle  Derb.errlidjte.    X^ie  oier  ^inber,  bie  fie 


—  IX  — 

tf)m  gefdjcnft,  uwrcn  fiir  iljn  (eudjtenbe  (Sterne  bcr  greube  am  §o* 
rijonte  bc«3  ^'cbcii§. 

@d)on  im  -Saljre  1868  badjte  man  in  ber  ©emeinbe  Sttjatuatf) 
(Eljefeb  baran,  cut  ncuc3  ©otteSfjauS  im  obern  unb  iteuen  @tabt- 
tfyeile  311  erbauen,U)ci{  bic  mciftcn  luoljlfyabenben  9J2itgliebcr  bcr  ©e« 
meinbe  ba()tn  ifyren  SBoljnfifc  Derlegt  fatten;  unb  balb  barauf  umrbe 
and)  cm  entfpredjcnbeS  ©runbftiict  envorben.    2U^  bcr  53au  bc= 
gonncn  iwurbc,  trat  bte  ftrage  cinc«  cntfpred)cnbcit  9ittu^  an  bie 
©cmcinbe  l)cran.    sD?an  fonnte  mtt  bcm  attcn  Ritual  ben  neuen 
Stempct  nii^t  erdffncn.    On  ber  ©cmeinbc  luar  man  geneigt  ben 
2Jitnt)ag  Slmerifa  ein^ufit^rcn,  luaiJ  bcm  £>oftor  ntd)t  ganj  Suia3te- 
5lnc^  iDoIItc  cr  bie  in  Dtcw  porter  Xempeln  cingefiitjrtcn  9?iten  nidjt 
in  35orfd)Iag  bringcn,  ttjeilS,  luctl  fie  feinem  ©tanbpunl'te  ntctjt  ent= 
fpradjen,  uub  t()ctl§,  tueit  bie  geifttidjen  33crtreter  bcr  rabifaten 
9fJtd;tungit)n  burd)  3uritcffegimg  ,^u  offcutlidjcn^roteftcn  gejmungen 
fatten.   (53  irurbe  ncimlid)  in  cinent  tiffcnttidjcn  Organe  au^ertjatb 
^en?  9)orf3  eine  9iabbineroer|ammtung  in  SSorfdjIag  gcbradjt,  inaS 
in  5Zcw  9)orf  Don  eincr  gro§ern@emcinbe  bnrc^  offaicllen  ^Befd)Iu§ 
unterftittjt  iinb  Don  ®r.  ^nebfi^  offenttid)  unb  uad)britcflid)  befiir* 
irortet  luurbc.    £)I)nc  9^i'tcf[td)t  febod)  aitf  bicfc  SSorgange  unb  bie 
bamit  in  53cjie{)ung  ftetjcnbcn  Scanner,  beriefcn  guici  an  bcr  (Spi^c 
ber  Dxeformgemeinben  fteljenbe  9iabbiner  eine  SKabbhterarfftmm' 
lung  na^^HabcIp^ia,  bie  and)  bafclbftin  1869  ftattfanb.  ^uebfd) 
fitl)ite  fid)  juritdgcfc^t,  erfdn'en  nid)t  in  bcr  SScrfammtung  unb  er- 
^ob  offentlidjcn  ^rotcft  gcgen  bie  (Eonferen^bcfdjiuffc,  toa3  er  tion 
feinem  ©tanbpunftc  au§  ol)nebic3  nid)t  untertaffen  fonnte,  nur 
tijitrbc  er  mit  fctncm  ^rotcfte  nidjt  Dor  bie  Oeffentlidjfcit  getrcten 
fein,  ba  cr  bie  offcnttidjc  ^Solemif  t)a[5te.    (5r  mnBte  aber  fiir  ben 
neuen  £cmpcl  cin  entfpred)enbc3  Ritual  fjabcn,  unb  ba  brangte  cr 
auf  bie  33crufung  einer  9?abbincrdcrfammlimg,  nid)t  urn  bcr  frit* 
fycrn  cntgcgcnjutreten,  fonbcrn  ju  bent  einjigcn  $mtdc,  ben  9J?iit- 
^ag  Slmcrifa  gu  rcoibircn,  ina§  er  and)  burdji'c^te.    £)te  Gonfc= 
rcnj  iDiirbe  etnberufen  unb  gatjlreid)  befudjt.     <£te  tagtc  in  Gteoe- 
lanb,  bann  in  9?ew  9)orf  unb  plcl^t  in  Cincinnati;   aber  fie  Ibfte 
t!)re  Slufgabe  nid)t.   (&3  fotlte  ber  2ftinl)ag  SImcrifa  rcoibirt  iuerben, 
eine  9ieDifion§commiffton  mit  ®r.  §uebf^  an  bcr  (Spifce  umrbc  er= 
nannt,  ber  bie  SSortagcn  griinbtic^  au^arbeitcte;  e3  lourben  aber  in 
ben  <3i£ungen  fo  uiele  anbere  ^ragenunb  SSorfdjlage  ^nr  23crljanb= 


Iitng  gcbradjt,  bap  Me  23or(agen  ber  Gtommiffion  oerbrangt  ttmrben 
unb  man  mu§te  in  Cincinnati  fid)  toertagcn,  oljne  bie  StteDifian  jitr 
§alftc  dollenbct  $u  Ijabcn.  ^nbcft  fdjritt  bcr  £cmpel  ber  3H)a»atl] 
Cfjefcb  ©emeinbe  feincr  SSollenbung  entgegen,  unb  £)r.  £mebf  d)  falj 
fid)  genbtfyigt  ber©emetnbeetn  neue3@ebetbnd)  Dorjulegcn,  lucIdjeS 
aud)  fofort  angenommen  unb  gebrutft  ttmrbe  unb  fpciter  aud)  in 
anbcren  ©emeinbeu  (itngang  fanb.*) 


*)  At  a  General  Meeting  of  the  Congregation  Ahawath  Chesed 
held  on  Sunday,  April  26, 1873,  it  was  unanimously  resolved  that 
a  committee  be  appointed  for  the  purpose  of  drafting  and  pre- 
senting tc  the 

REV.  DR.  ADOLPH  HUEBSCH, 

a  series  of  resolutions  expressive  of  the  high  appreciation  and 
acknowledgment  of  the  congregation  for  the  able  and  gratify- 
ing manner  in  which  he  has  performed  the  labor,  to  him  one  of 
love,  in  preparing  for  the  use  of  the  congregation  prayer  and 
song  books  which  have  since  been  introduced  in  their  Divine 
service. 

The  undersigned  Committee  in  pursuance  of  the  above  have 
therefore  reported  the  following  in  form  of  resolutions  as  indi- 
cated the  sense  of  the  congregation  in  this  behalf. 

Resolved,  That  a  vote  of  heartful  thanks  in  the  name  of  the 
congregation  be  cordially  extended  to  ourbeloved  minister,  Rev. 
Dr.  A.  Huebsch  for  the  gratifying  and  able  manner  in  which  he 
has  fulfilled  the  labor  of  providing  the  congregation  with  suit- 
able prayer  and  song  books  compiled  and  composed  by  him. 

Resolved,  That  we  feel  happy  in  recognizing  the  high  talent, 
wide  learning  and  wise  discrimination  displayed  by  our  rever- 
end minister  in  the  compilation  and  composition  of  these  holy 
books  and  confidently  trust  that  the  Almighty  God  will  vouch 
safe  to  listen  to  and  receive  the  worshipping  and  offerings  of  our 
hearts  expressed  in  the  language  of  these  books  arid  grant  that 
our  respected  minister  may  enjoy  a  long,  happy  and  useful  life, 
and  that  he  may  see  his  late  labors  crowned  with  glory  and  uni- 
versal appreciation. 

Resolved,  That  a  copy  of  these  resolutions  be  transmitted  to 
our  Rev.  Dr.  A.  Huebsch,  and  that  the  same  be  published  in  the 
three  Hebrew  papers  of  this  city. 

Samuel  D.  Sewards, 
Solomon  Rich, 
Louis  Ash, 

Committee. 


—  XI  — 

$n  ben  erroafjnten  SBerfammtungen  erttiarb  fid)  5Dr.  §uebfci) 
bie  Slnerfennung  unb  23erounberung  ber  (£oltegen  (er  prafibirte  ber 
33erfammtung  in  Cincinnati),  bte  Ujn  al3  ben  genialen,  freifinnigett 
unb  titcfytig  gcbitbeten  &()rer  in  3frael  anerfannten.  £)er  bofjmt* 
fdje  9fabbiner  roar  jur  bebeutenben  (Sapajitat  geworben.  £)urcf) 
ben  neuen  Stempet  mit  bem  neuen  Ritual,  mit  Drgel,  (Sfyor  unb 
gamilienfi^en  tuurbe  bte  ftetne  bo^mifdje  in  etne  angefe^ene  unb 
Ijeroorrageitbe  Xempelgemeinbe  DertDcmbelt,  unb  batb  ftanb  bte[e(be 
mtt  ifyrem  au8ge^etd)netcn  9?abbiner  auf  ber  §olje  ber  ^citr  eine 
Scucfyte  unter  ben  ^ortfdjritt^mannern  unb  ^ortfcfyrittSgemeinben 
im  amerifanifdjcn  3[rae(.  ®ie  ftreifyctt  ^atte  ben  ^linger  ber 
SBtffenfdjaft  in  ben  9^ann  ber  Ztyat  umgeftaltet.  2)er  flare  ©etft 
wurbe  f^affenber  ©eift. 

^n  btefem  groftcn  pradjtDolfcn  ^empct  unb  an  ber  @pi|e  einer 
angefeljenen  ©emeinbe  luar  nun  !Dr.  ^uebft^  fo  redjt  in  fetnem 
(giemente.  ^>icr  fafy  cr  fic^  an  febem  @abbat^  unb  gciertage  Don 
einer  ^afyfretcfyen  @d)aar  ber  2lnba'd)tigen  umgeben,  bie  fetnen  (c^rs 
reicfjen  unb  erbaucnben  SBorten  laufdjte.  (Sr  griinbete  eine  ^eligi* 
on^fdjule,  bte  [eine  greube  unb  fctn  (£tolj  njurbe.  5ln  oiertjunbert 
^naben  unb  2J2abd^en  derfammelten  fid)  ba  metjreremat  j,ebeSSod)c, 
um  au3  (einem  3}?unbe  obcr  unter  fciner  Seitung  bte  9icligtoit  ber 
23a'ter  fennen  jn  lernen.  £>ter  grimbete  cr  and)  ben  33eretn  funger 
banner,  bie  fubifdje  8iteratur  pflegteu  unb  53elef)rung  fud)ten. 
2lu8  bem  53orn  feineg  retdjen  2Biffen$  fdjfi^fcnb,  ^ielt  er  ifjnen 
33orle(ungen  itber  Der[d)iebene  X^emata  au^  ber  jitbtfdjcn  Siffen* 
fc^aft  unb  rcgte  Stnbere  ^u  a^nlidjeit  Slrbciten  an.*)  §icr  entfaltete 


*)  At  a  special  meeting  of  the  Young  Men's  Association  of  the 
Congregation  Ahawath  Chesed,  held  at  their  rooms  on  February 
28,  1878,  the  following  preamble  and  resolutions  were  unanim- 
ously adopted  : 

Whereas,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Adolph  Huebsch,  to  whom  this  asso- 
ciation owes  its  existence,  has  for  the  past  five  years  devoted  his 
time  and  energy  to  its  interest,  and, 

Whereas,  by  his  learned  discourses  he  has  established  a 
series  of  lectures  which  take  their  rank  among  the  best  afforded 
by  any  similiar  association  in  this  city,  therefore  be  it 

Resolved,  That  the  members  of  this  association  render 
their  esteemed  friend  and  Pastor  their  heartfelt  thanks  for  his 


—  xn  — 

er  bie  gan$e  SCRarfit  feme*  (denies  unb  rourbe  fiir  -3:un3  U 
Sidjt  Derbreitcnbc  SDMfter.  £r  roar  nid)t  minber  tfyatig 
ber  ©emctnbe,  bentt  in  fener  jal)(reid)cn  piaffe/  Me  jrotfdjen  ben 
beibcn  (Jr.tremen  auf  bem  33oben  be3  ^"^nttjum?  nertiarrt,  roar 
£>r.  £>ucbfd)  bcr  bcliebtefte  nub  gemdjtcfte  Sfabbincr  vD?ciri  2)orf3, 
it)a§  il)n  mtt  fe^r  tiiclen  ^amilten  in  enge  ^Be^ietiung  bradjte,  bie 
ntdjt  ntinber  a(^  bie  2)Zttg(ieber  fctner  ©emetnbe  fetncn  Umgang 
ttiinfdjten  unb  fud)ten.  2115  man  in  ^ew  9)orf  anftnfl,  ein  9?ab= 
binerfcmtnar  ^u  griinben,  miiBte  ^uebfd)  naturltdj  mitinirfen  unb 
bie  jungen  Stubenten  in  ber  femitifdjen  ^t)ilo(ogte  nnterridjten. 
3113  bie  Union  bcr  amerifanifdi-fyebraifdjen  ©emeinben  unb  ba§ 
Hebrew  Union  College  gegrimbet  toorben,  tnar  bie  3tf)awatt) 
(i^efcb  ©emetnbe  mit  S:r.  Slbolf  §ueb(d)  an  ber  Spi^e  bie  erfte, 
bie  fid)  bent  Unternefymen  fterjinnig  anfdjlof?.  (5r  erfdjien  auf  jeber 
33crfammlung  ber  genannten  Union,  roar  tmmer  9)citglicb  bed  (Su* 
ratoriumS  im  (Sottege,  infpi^trte  ba^felbe  a(3  offateller  (S^aminator 
nnb  leiftete  in  jebcr  Sigenfdjaft  au§gejeid)nete  X)ienftc.  (Sr  ent* 
faltcte  eine  ?c^r*  unb  2lrbeite!raft  in  ber  ©emeinbe,  in  ber  <2d)iile 
unb  n)eitl)in  au^erljalb  berfelben,  bie  fetnen  ^amen  jum  Segen  unb 
fetne  Seiftungen  311  erquictenben  §id)tftra[)Ien  fiir  taufenbe  »on 
§er$en  madjte. 

SKinber  tftattg  roar  Dr.  C>^ebfd)  ate  @d)riftfte((er.  SSdfjrenb 
er  nie  auffyorte,  fid)  roiffenfdjaftlid)  gu  befdjaftigen,  bcfonberS  orien- 
tatifdje  ^Ijilologie  ju  treiben,  unb  bie  beften  iiterarifdiengrfdjetnun* 
gen  in  fid)  aufnaljnt,  ^atte  er  einen  uniiberroinbltd)en  SStberroilfcn 


successful  efforts  in  advancing  the  standing  and  usefulnes 
of  their  organization. 

Resolved.  That  we  tender  to  Rev.  Dr.  Adolph  Huebsch  our 
sincerest  wishes  for  his  continued  prosperity  and  happiness. 

Resolved,  That  a  copy  of  these  resolutions  suitable  engros- 
sed be  presented  to  Rev.  Dr.  Adolph  Huebsch  as  a  slight  testi- 
monial of  our  gratitude  and  that  they  be  spread  upon  our 
minutes. 

J.  J.  Stein,  A.  L.  Coshland.  Pres. 

Samuel  B.  Hamburger,  Henry  Duschnes,  Sec, 

D.  W.  Richmann, 
Theo.  R.  Denzer. 

Committee. 


—  xm  — 

gegen  bie  (gdjriftftellerei.  (gr  fd)rieb  nur,  tnenn  er  nwfjte.  33alb 
nact)  feincr  Stnfimft  in  Slmerifa,  Ucfj  er  eine  flcine  <2ammlung  Don 
fiebcn  'iprebigten,  ^cin  Cidjt  nnb  £)eine  Safyrljeit"  genannt,  er= 
fdjcinen.  (9?em  9)orf,  1866.)  ©pater  erfdjiencn  eine  bebeu* 
tenbe  Slnjaljt  fetncr  5}icben  in  toerfd)icbcnen  .^ournalen  itnb  3cit-- 
fdjriften,  bcfonbcr«  in  9?ett>  9)orf,  icett  er  imter  ben  j;ubt[d)en 
^anjelrebncrn  bafclbft  tmmcr  etner  ber  Ijcrtiorragenbften  itinr. 
©pciter  lic^  er  cine  !(cine  <2amtnlung  oricnta(ifd)cr  Spridjirbrtcr 
in  engtifdjer  (£prad)e  itnter  bent  Xitel  "Gems  of  the  Orient"  er* 
fdjeinen.  97od)  fpa'ter  lic§  er  eine  2lbIjanMung  in  ber  ©rd^fc^en 
307onat[^rift  in  ^Berlin  Derbffcntli^en,  tt)ooon  er  mit  33or(tebe 
fprac^.  ®a§  Ce^tc,  toa§  Don  iljm  erfdjtenen,  tear  in  ber  ,,S)eboraf)", 
Don  9J7ai  bis  4.  ^nli  1884,  ^unctum  95ttfd)ct)e"  unb  gejeidjnet 
ff<Senior",  tuorin  er  bie  2lnfdjcwung  bcfcimpftc,  ba^  bie  aftifdjefye 
oom  tatmubifdjcn  ©tanbtpunfte  au§  erlaubt  fei.  (5r  blieb  bi§  ^nr 
le^ten  ©tunbe  fetncm  <2tanbptmfte  trcu,  ntdjt  Pom  biliti(d)=ta(mu* 
bifdjen  ©cfc^e  abptncid)cn,  IDO  baffelbc  nid;t  mit  bcm  Sonbc§gefc^e 
cotlibirt  obcr  bent  ^citgcifte  offenfimbig  tt)ibcr[prid)t.  (5r  blieb  bis 
an$  Seben8enbe  ber  Sftann  ou§  einem  ©uffc,  bcffcn  (Srfdjeinung, 
Sort  unb  STtjat  iiberatl  niofyltfya'tig  ttir!te  unb  frcitbige  (Srinnerun- 
gen  juriidliefe. 

3d)  ^abe  gcfampft,  fyabe  geftritten  nnb  mid)  itberttJunbcn,  bag 
2eben  biefe^  ^errtidjcn  3Wannc3  objectid  gu  befdjrciben,  o^ne  mid) 
Don  meincn  ©efuljlen  ^inrci^cn  gu  laffen.  3e^t  abcr  fann  id)  nid)t 
\t>citcr.  SSa'Ijrcnb  er  feine  Ic^te  ^rcbi^t  fdjricb  unb  elje  er  fie  nod) 
Dottcnbete,  ben  10.  Oftobcr  1884  gegcn  »icr  Uljr  SWorgcn*  wurbe 
er  ^Ib'^tid)  unS  entriffcn;  jc^t  fann  i^  nic^t  weiter,  benn 
fann  man  nid)t  fdjreiben. 

Sinctnnoti,  im  September  1885. 

Dr.  SfaacSK.  2Bifc. 


bes 


j  it  b  i#  eke  n 


Pon 


DR.  ADOLF  HUEBSCH 


ujeife  £efyreu  fur  bic  ilodjiuelt  gab, 
5'  £ippen  regen  ftc^  auc^  itocfj  tut  (5raS." 


gine  " 

(Jalkut  S.  64  a.) 

llnb  nod)  3enifafem  trug  mid)  ber  mitbe  gufj, 
$d)  wollte  3ion  bringcit  trcitcn  (£ob,ne§gnifj, 
£>a  fat)  id)  auf  bc§  £cmpelberge3  l)od)fter 
(Sin  grauenbilb,  im  ©taube  Ijatt'  e§  fcinen 
Sftid)  fdjauert,  bcnf  id)  nod)  an  biefeS  Seib, 
(Sin  fdjroaq  ©ewanb  umljUIlte  fehten 
T)e§  v^anptcg  @d)tnud:r  bag  retd)e 
Sic  wilb  itnb  tntrr  flog  e§  tin  Sinb  umljcr! 
Unb  flagltd)  !Die  ber  SSinb  im  <Sturmc  toft, 
@o  ftStjnt  fie  ftagcnb:  ,,5(d),  mo  nel)m  id)  Xroft?"  - 
Xroft  bcgefjrt  in  Set)  and)  mtr  ba§  §cl'S' 
r^  ift  meiner  <See(e  <Sd)mcr;$; 
jicl)t  mid)  ju  ib.rem  Crt,  - 
llnb  fragcnb  ridjtet  fid)  an  fie  mein  Sort: 
"^3ift  bu  ein  irbifd)  Seib  nnb  menfdjentftammt, 
£)ann  !ttubc  mir,  weld)'  Set)'  bcin  §eq  bitrd)flammt 
3ft  aber  ©eifterftmcf  nur,  was  id)  fe^, 
£)ann  l)eb  bid)  wcg,  nnb  fdjroinb  au§  meiner  ^a'^  !* 
ruft:  "$d)  tear'  bir  alfo  unbefannt! 
@ol)ne  fieben  fyab'  id)  mein  genannt, 
v  33ater  ^og  tn«  feme  I'anb  fyinauS 
Unb  witft  itnb  b'bc  fdjtcn  mir  jc^t  mein  ^>au«, 
33ie  ^ranen  it)m  jn  meinen,  fam  id)  i)er, 
®a  traf  mid)  l)ier  bie  ^nnbe  boppelt  fdjroer: 
2Rciu  §anS  im  ©tnr^,  e$  iwarb  ber  (gbljne  ©rab, 
£)ajj  id)  nun  97tcmanb  mcljr  auf  (Srben  Ijab'I 
3c^  wci^  itidjt,  men  id)  nun  guerft  beinein', 
©oil  trauern  id)  um  iljn,  ben  ©atten  mein, 
©oil  llagcn  id)  mit  aufgeloftem  §aar 
llnb  loeinen  nm  ber  tl)curen  ©oljne  Sd)aar!* 
3d)  fragte  fie:  ,,Unb  bift  bu  meljr  benn  tt)ertl), 


—  4  — 

3ion,  bcrcn  £>au§  gerftort,— 
£)er  ©mnb,  tuo  einft  bie  fyetfge  SBoljnung  ftonb, 
gr  roarb  ber  ttntbcn  £l)iere  Seibelanb!"— 
$d)  fpradj'S  —  ba  vtef  bad  Seib:  BO  ©of>n  f)att  era! 
£)enn  2Hutter  £ton  tin  id)  fclbft,  tt^  toctn' 
35on  (S^merj  burci)bcbt  mit  Qitfgeloftcm  grnar 
Urn  meinen  ©atten  unb  ber  ©ofyne  @c^aar!u— 


profit  ernes 

(Jalk.zu  Job,  S.  148  b) 

(itn  ^priefter  lebte  im  ^ubaerlanb, 
X>er  @d)cibcn  Scl)re  mar  iljm  tt>ol)ibefannt: 
SJiet  Sranfe  famcn  ju  bem  ^rtcftcr  I) in, 
®od)  brad)t  bic  S'linft  nur  toentg  i()m  ©etc inn. 
®' rum  badjf  er,  luanbcrnb  attper  ^anb  311  Qcl)ti' 
Unb  braupen  fid)  nad)  9ictd)tl)um  umsufeljn. 
Unb  aid  beS  2lbjd)ieb3  fd/wcre  ©tunbe  fdjlug, 
^Da  tear  bte  lefcte  ©orge,  bte  cr  trug: 
5)cr  @d)a'b'ge  ber  fein  'prieftcrtjauS  betrat, 
(Sr  foUt  ntd)t  miffen  fetnen  »cifen  9fot, 
3yrum  madjt  er  mtt  ber  ©djabcn  ^ct)r'  befannt 
<£etn  fromme^  SSctb,  ba^  loetncnb  »or  iijm  ftanb; 
gr  fpradj:  W6in  jebe^  §aar,  fo  lang  e^  taugt, 
fetnen  duett,  an^  bem  e§  9ZaI)rung  faugt, 
fd)ab()aft  ift  ba3  §aar  unb  Juelft  jur  ©tell', 
SBcnn  au^getrodiiet  fetncr  9Ra^rung  Cuell !" 
B@tel)'!"  rtef  bag  SBetb,  wallgutig  o  fiirnjab/r 
3ft  ©ott!  bte  Cuetle  gab  er  jet-em  §aar! 
SBa^  flagft  bit  tibcr  bctner  5lrmut  SooS, 
©enrijj  (5r  la$t  cud)  bid)  ntd)t  qitettenlo^!" 


Per  re^te 

(Midr.  Kohel.) 


finb  ber  9iamen  brei,  o  3J2eni"d),  tjienieben, 
bret  oerfd)teb'nen  ^iinben  bir  be|d)teben: 


Xie  (51  tern  finb'S,  bte  bir  ben  (Srften  neben 
4Bei  beinem  (Stntrttt  tit  bad  (Srbcnlebcn; 
£iie  2Mi  nad)  itjrcm  Urtfycil  gicbt  ben  gweiten, 
@te  lafct  babet  Dom  ©djcine  oft  fid)  letten; 
T)er  britte  92ame  ift  bcr  meiftgecfyrte, 
T)en  fdjaffft  bu  felbcr  bir  nad)  bctncnt  2Bcrt^e! 
9)?ag  immertjtn  bic  $8clt  bid)  barnod)  ad)teiir 
Sic  bir  ©eburt  uitb  ©tucf  bic  tauten  brad)terlf 
(53  ttirb  bir  wcrt^IoS  in  ber  te|ten  ©titnbe, 
£>a3  9lamenpaar  cntftammt  an«  anbrcr  SJcunbe, 
1)er  ^>err,  er  luirb  Dor  feineS  3:i)ronee  Stufen 
Did)  nur  beim  [clbftenBorb'nen  Xiamen  rufen. 


(Ber.  R.  S.  83,  Eude.) 

Q$  fatten  @toppel,  ©h'olj  unb 
(Stnft  miteinanbcr  inilbcn  Strcit, 
SBer  unter  U)ncn  ^auptfadf  fei, 
!De§iDitIcn  man  bic  Saat  gcftrcut. 
3)cr  Sci^en  fpridjt  in  rulj'gcut  Sou: 
WO  ftmmbe  taffct  griebcn  fein! 
^)ie  ftreit'ge  grage  loft  fid)  fd)on, 
©inb  n)ir  erft  Stlte  in  bcr  @d)eun'. 
5)  a  inirb  c«,  glaubt  mir,  balb  un^  Har, 
SBBcr  auf  bent  gclb'  bic  ^auptfad)'  mar." 


ber  £enne  fontmt 
!iDer  SBirt^  fuljrt  ctn,  uni«  cr  gcwinnt; 
S93ie  gct)t  e§  mm  bem  Icidjtcn  <Spreu? 
3l)ti  ftrcut  ber  2anbmann  in  ben  2S>inb! 
X)em  ^cucr  tuirb  bcr  'Stoppcln 
£)te  §alme  ftrcut  er  l)in  ^ur  (Srb' 
(gr  fpeid)ert  nnr  ben  Seijcn  auf, 
X)en  SBci^cn  nur,  ben  fycUt  er 
£>a  tnirb  e3  tro^I  nun  3Ufen  ftar, 
Ser  auf  bem  ^db  bie  ^auptfad/  iwari 


—  6  — 


(Bab.  Mez.  68.) 

O  fief)'  bod),  une  betl)brt  bte  2£ud)'rer  ftnb, 
(g*  ift  it)r  £fjnn  toerfcfyrt,  tt)r  9luge  btinb ! 

SBenn  w@iinbcr"  fie  etn  9?cbenmettfd)  genannt.  — 
<3ie  felbft,  luie  Ijalten  fie'*  mit  i()ver  (Stjr"?  — 
@ie  Ijolen  forgltd)  ^cug'  unb  ©djreiber  ^er, 
Unb  formltc^  nrirb  e^3  if)ncn  nun  Derbrteft, 
mtt  ber  3cu9en  Untcrfdjrift: 
btefe§  ®d)eine§  ^nttl'dt  fd)Ie(^t 
eto'gen  ®ott  unb  an  bem  IjeU'gen 


ttn 

(Synhedr.  100.) 

@ei  attjuftrenge  nie  in  betnent 
Unb  ganjltd)  gieb  ben  Sitnbcr  auf  mtt  nic^ten. 
Senn  bu  U)n  weifeft  ab  mtt  betncr  Sinf  en, 
@o  mu^  ttmt  beine  9?ed)te  rufenb  njtnfen. 


|>er  'pattm  be 

(Baiu.  Rabb.  12.  S.  896.) 

bem  SBeinftocf  gtetd)t  bte  tjett'ge  £ef>r', 
Ob  er  ourf)  trcigt  bte  mctgeprtep ne 
9Zid)t  bcr  Cctbaum  ift  i()r  treueS 
"Die  Mattel  ntdjt,  au^  bcr  ber  §onty  qutflt, 
SBetl  [cbcr  bte[er  X)rct  ^ur  (Srntejett 
£>ie  reifen  griid)te  all'  auf  etnmat  beut; 
'Doct)  onbcr*  ift  bcr  cbcln  getge 
©ie  btetct  tnatig  btr  bte  fiipe 
§cnt'  unb  movgcn  pfliid jt  bu  Don  bem 
Unb  f  ammelft  23orratf)  cin  unb  mcrfft  c3  taunu 
jettigt  bcr  Grfcnntnip  feller  ©traljt 
JBiffen*  ?fru'd)te  ntd)t  mtt  ctnem  SD^al, 
rctf  t  im  ©eift  bir  <Safc  um 


geu)onnen  tft  ber 
bit  Ijciufeft  retdjltrfjen  (Srtrag, 
bu  emfig  fammdn  £ag  fiir 
Sluf  bie  Ijcil'ge  Seljre  fyat  ^ejug 

luctfen  $onig3  tiefgebadjter  ©pritrf) : 
bic  getge  treulid)  Ijteft  in  2ld)t, 
!iDer  trtirb  mtt  filler  grudjt  Don  i^r  bebactjt.' 


^la^f  ber 

(Synhedr.  7.) 

mir  bie  ?iebe  mddjtig  nod)  gcfuljlt, 
fatten  rcir  auf  (SdjioerteSbrcite  Dtaum! 

feit  bcr  £iebe  ©fut  fid)  Ijat  oerfitt)(t, 
©eniigt  ein  Sett  »on  fedj^ig  (gUcn  laum. 


(Erubin  54  a.) 

?afe  btr  Ijeute  @pcif  unb  £ranf  befommcn, 
Urn  ba§  OJ^orgen  fei  bit  nidjt  beftommcn; 
@d  g(cid)et  biefe  SBcIt  bent  §od)5eit^faa(, 
D'rwn  greife  ju,  fo  lang  bir  winft  ba« 


T)affefbe. 

(Daselbst.) 

wenn  bu  bet  guten  3^tttetn  bift, 
)'  ^Dement  l^eibe  angenc^m  bie  grift! 
(S3  f)b'rt  bie  l^uft  tfym  mit  bent  i^eben  anf, 
Unb  fie^',  ber  Xob  er  faumet  nid)t  im  8attf ! 
Ob  mefyr,  ob  tuen  gcr  beinem  <£of)nc  bleibt, 
5Ser  tnei^,  tt)ie  er'$  nad)  beinem  Xobe  treibt ! 
yjftt  bent  ©efd)(ed)tertt)ed)fet  iftr^  beftellt, 
SBie  ntit  bent  ©rafe  braujjcn  anf  bent  gelb'  : 
(Se  fd)ie§et  Uppig-  auf  ber  junge  ^eim, 

alte  SSud)^  er  mitt  unb  ferret  fjeim!  — 


(Jebam.  44  a.) 

2Mft  bu  jung,  was  roittft  bu  tf>orid)t  cine  2Hte  netymen, 
33ift  bit  alt,  was  foil  beS  SBeibeS  $ugenb  bid)  befdjiUnen: 
ftreunb !    nad)  beinem  (Stanb  itttb  Sttter  fud)'  bte  ©atttn  au«, 
©onft  brtngft  bu  ©treit  uub  3»icfpatt  fetber  in  bein  rufjtcj  ©au*. 


ttnb 

(Jebam  63.) 

SBttlft  bu  bte  recite  grau  bir 
SWu^t  abroarts  bu  bie  Stufen  jaljten; 
£)er  greunb  icboc^,  ben  bu  erfefyen, 
t)ol)er  atS  bu  fetber  ftefycit. 


(Sabbath  152.) 

tfjr  fie  o  SBriiber  ? 
Seffer  i^re  3^ei, 
!Denn  bte  fpatcrniCrei; 
5ld)  fie  cttt  oorbct, 
dimmer  fet)rt  fie  mtcber ! 


r  a  f  f  e  I  b  e . 
(Ebendaselbst.  i 

(Sine  $rone  blutj'nber  9?ofen 

3ft  bie  tjeifre 

(Sine  ®rone  fpt^er 

3ft  bas  tritbe  ©retfent{)um. 


pie 

(Sota  35.) 

©n  Sfirnlein  aSot)rI)ett  mifcfyt  ber  Signer  cm, 
Sonft  faun  bie  Si'tge  nic^t  wa!)rfd)etnUd)  fcin. 


g  _ 


(Baba  bathra  21.) 

SiignerS  Strap  :    Stud)  tuenn  cr  SSafyrfjeit  fpridjt, 
sD?an  fitrdjtet  £ng  unb  fieb/,  man  gtanbt  tfym  ntd)t. 


(Nedar  55  a,  Erubin  54  a.) 

SBtflft  £u  ben  ®d)Q^  ber  SBuft',  bie  8c^  erreidjen, 
Dann  mu^t  S)u  felber  etner  SQSitftc  gtetdjen. 


(Erubin  65  a.) 

tft  bie  monbes^elle  91ad)t 
ttefe  gorfc^cn  nur  gemadjt. 


geit  ttnb 

(Aboth4,  3.) 

^etn  Sftenfd),  wenn  an^  gcring  unb  flein, 
X)arf  iemaB  btr  tiercidjtltd)  fctn: 
Senn  gropes  ^Dtng  bein  £)er,  bcge^rt, 
SSerfcnne  nid)t  be^  £lctnen  SSertI); 
(S3  lebt  fcin  9^en)d)  tm  Grbenrunb, 
(S^3  fdjtagt  U)tn  cinft  be§  ©(iidcd  Stunb, 
£)a3  ftetnfte  ®tng  e^  I)at  fofort 
Den  recijten  23ertt)  am  red)ten  Crt ! 


Jlcfien. 

(Megila  28  a,) 

Der  greife  3Keifter  »on  ben  6d)it(ern  etnft  befragt, 
53e(e{)rte  fie,  tt»a§  longed  I'cben  tb,m  gebradjt: 
,,^d)  ^abe  me  mtcf)  mit  bent  eitcln  ffiufym  ge^icrt, 
liber  ^rennbe^  ©djmad)  jur  etgnen  ©rofee  fii^rt; 


—  10  — 

Unb  roenn  cin  $reunb  am  Sag  mir  ftranfung  angetfjan, 
£M3  id)  metn  £ager  fud)t',  id)  bad)t'  nid)t  tnefyr  baran, 
Unb  ntmtncr  fyat  metn  ^erj  gequatt  ber  niebrc  (3Vij, 
£)enn  Sofyltfyun  fd)ien  mir  ftcts  be>i  ©olbeS  pdifter  tRcis 


(Sola  9  a.) 

3Ber  nod)  frembetn  ©liicf  begefjrt, 
(Setten  mtrb  fein  SSunfd)  gewiiljrt, 
®od)  beffen  fann  er  fidjer  fein : 
©ein  eigen  ®liicf,  er  biipt  e^  ein. 


(BabaMezia33a.) 

J)er  S3ater  Ijat  ba§  !Dafcin  bir  gcgeben, 
Der  i^e^rer  gtebt  bir  mefyr:    ba§  ew'ge 


(Baba  Kama  95  a.) 

ber  Slrme  ftreb'  itnb  mad)' 
£)ie  $rmul  folgt  ifjin  immer  nadi. 


|)er 

(Berachot  55  b.) 

bid)  am  tjelten  £age  [innen  mad)t, 
3etgt  bir  ber  bunte  Xraum  in  ftiUcr  9?ad)t; 
Sewei^,  ba^  ftet«  bein  £raitm  bem  <2inn  entfteigt: 
3Ba^  nte  bu  bentft,  ba3  tuirb  bir  ntd)t  ge^eigt, 
X)u  traumteft  nte  t>om  gotb'nen  53aumc  fdjroer, 
S3om  ^lep^ant,  ber  f^Iupft  burd)'^  sJtabeI6I)r. 


11  — 


pie  ftcbe  bes 

(Baba  bathra  16  b.) 

Set  ber  9fabe  ftrenger  9ttd)ter  nid)t, 

SBo  bcr  Sdjmerj  cms  nnmbem  £>eqeit  fpnd)t.  — 


(Synhedr.) 

,  ba  roar  eg  2trt : 
2Ber  an  ©inn  imb  igtttcn  rein  itnb  jart, 
Sr  naljm  aU  ©aft  ntdjt  el)er  2:i)eil  am 
53 i«  er  nirfjt  fannte  ber  ©enoffen  2Bal)t. 


ttttb 

(Baba  Mezia  59  a.) 

®ef)t  ba^  SO'Jefit  ju  (Snbe  in  bent 
Stappert  £rieg  ^eran  in  Dollem  3u9e- 


(Cholin  127  a.) 

ein  Sftarfer  freimblic^  btr  ben  S07unb  gefiifct, 
bte    <ine'  °t>  bit  feinen 


(Jalkut.) 

braud)t  bie  ^erje  ntdjt 
Sonnentidjt 


(Jebain.  Jalkut  181  c.) 

Segeljrt  nat^  l^ebcn  bir  ba§  §er$, 
!5)ann  ift  betn  eeljnen  aud)  uad) 


—  12 


(Jebam.  Jalk.  181  c.) 

meife  £ef)ren  fitr  bie  SftadjttKlt  gab, 
Sippen  vegen  fid)  and)  nod;  im  ®rab. 


en  wtb 

(Jebara.  63  b.) 

Sftandjer  tetjret  fd)on  unb  tebt  nadj  [eincr 
9Dfand)cr  Icljrct  tudjt,  bod)  iibt  cr  um  fo  mel)r, 
febod),  bu  bift  fiir  Stnb're  nur  ba8  $d)t, 
ctgnen  Sc^ren  fotgft  bit  felber  nidjt. 


(Jebam.) 

Stud)  fcin  ^Rad)bar  Ijat  311  tragen, 
325enn  ber  ^Bofe  ttrirb  gcfdjlagett. 


(Jerusch.  Chag,  I.  134  a.) 

ben  5ttmia,  Sl^cr  audj  bcnannt, 
3ft  mamugltd)  aU  SDianit  beS  Stbfatls  wo!)t  bcfannt, 
(Sin  grower  £)enfcr  unb  cm  tenner  im  ©cfefc, 
Umftrict te  bennod)  feinen  ©ctft  bc^  (Jrrttjums  ^e^. 
(Sr  fa§  cinft  forfd)enb  in  bcm  Sfjat  Don  ©cncjar, 
^Da  warb  fctn  5{uge  unnjctt  etncn  3Kann  gewat)v, 
fticg  auf  eincn  Ijoljen  ^3  .mm  gauj  flint  unb  fcft, 
3Jiutter  fammt  ber  ^Brut,  cr  (ott  fie  au8  bem  9tcft; 
58ertel?t  war  bnrd)  fein  Xf)un  ber  Retire  Ijettig  23ort, 
Unb  bodj  jjcrttcB  er  njofjlbcljaltcn  balb  ben  Drt! 
(Sin  3'vciter  ftieg  ^tnaiif  unb  nafym  bie  ^iidjlctn  nur, 
Die  gutter  lie§  er  ^tcljen  itbcr  9Sa(b  unb  glur, 
Unb  taum  Ijat  feinen  ^UB  gur  (grbe  er  0c;cfet, 
31(3  eincr  (gd)Iange  <Stidj  itjn  auf  ben  Xob 


1  Q 

J.  t> 

(ilifa  rief  erbittert  nun  sum  Dim.net  aiif : 
,,t)cin  gbttlid)  SSort,  e3  fyemint  nid)t  be3  ®cfrf)icfe8  Sauf ! 
£)enn  ©tiicf  unb  £eben3fi'tlf  oerljeiget  bieS  ©eoot, 
Dod)  fief)'!    3>:r  ^renter  (ebt,  ber  gromme  fanb  ben  Xob!" 
Dcr  33organg  I) at  sJlbuia'^  ^ofjn  311  gall  gcbradjt, 
O  Ijatt  er  bod)  bc3  a'ltern  Sc^rer^  SBort  bcbadjt: 
,,X>a  trbif  d)  ^ebcn  furj  unb  irbt)  d)  ©liicf  nur  gleipt, 
emig  ©litd  unb  ^eben,  ba3  bte  Sdjrift 


(Jer.  Chag.  Midr.  Ruth  24  b.) 

23en  Slbuja  lag  erfranft  barnicbcr, 
Scinem  ©d)iiler  iwarb  baoon  bte  Slimb'^ 
9iabbt  2JJeir  ficfyt  ben  2)iciftcr  irticber, 
SBeilt  bet  tfytn  in  feincr  le^ten  Stunb'. 

,  ber  bu  (djmer  getrrt  im  Seben, 

tin  Xobe  beineS  ^eben§  'Sdjulb; 
SBillft  bu  nncber  bid)  bent  ©(aubcn  geben, 
©roy  tft  ®ott  unb  | cine  S3aterl)ulb  !" 

w,,@laubft  bu  @ol)n,  baB  mfr  nod)  ^offnung  bltebe, 
Wlir  bem  Si'mbcr  bis  gum  ®rabc$ranb, 

fticp  id)  Don  mir  feine  ^iebe, 
id)  fterbenb  faff  en  [eine  ^>anb  !"" 

W1)enf  o  SJictftcr  an  be8  ©angers  SSorte: 
3ur  23crntd)tung  fiifjreft  bu  il)n  jd)on, 
J)a  nod)  an  bc3  UntcrgangeS  ^Jfortc, 
2#af)nft  bit:  ^cl)re  unt,  o  sDZenfd)en[oljn!" 

(Sin  befannter  Sang  auS  fritlj'ren 
Zont  fo  trb'ftenb  t^m  bad  IjeiFge 
@d)eibcnb  fanu  [ein  ©cift  bie  2Borte  beutcn, 
3ld)er  ftirbt  —  bie  £l)rane  nc^t  fein  J^ib  ! 

9?abbi  2D?etr  fte^t  an  feiner  tfeidje, 
^eil'ge  ^rcube  fitUt  it)n:  f,^ie  c«  fdjeint, 
®el)ft  bu  veuig  ein  jum  ew'gcn  9?eid)e, 
SKeuig  ftarbft  bu  —  benn  bu  fjaft  gemeint!" 


—  14  — 
cifcawtte 

(Rabboth  zu  HI.  IV,  12) 


r  <5d)netber  feiner 

einft,  id)  aieift  nid)t  tt>ie,  bet  §of  in  fyofye  ®unft, 
llnb  al3  er  erne  ©nabe  fid)  erbitten  follr, 
£)a  roar  bag  tleinfte  n>a8  £err  3uftu§  fyat  gciuollt: 
^n  jencr  ©tabt,  iuo  cr  fcin  ^anbtncrf  einft  betrieb, 
5)e§  Saiferg  (gtetloertretcr  fcin,  ba§  war'  it)m  lieb  ! 
3)er  ^>errfd)er  fdjlug  bed  (gdjnetberS  -53ttf  mit  nidjten  ab, 
Unb  nad)  ^ippo^^  509  €>err  OnftuS  unb  fein  Stab  ! 
5)ie  SJJcnge  eitt  gum  @tabrtl)or  fdjaarenroeis  I)tnaue, 

neiten  §errfd)er  et!t3ufiit)ren  in  fein  §au«! 

mag  e^  fcin  i*    Seld)'  ftol^en  92a:nen  fiiljrct  cr, 
IDem  9lom«  ©ebieter  l)at  crroicfcn  fotdje  (Sljr'  ?  — 
1)od)  ringcwurjclt  bleiben  ftarr  bie  9^iid)ftcn  ftcfy'n, 
SBie  fte  ben  ©djnctber  3uftu8  (eibljaft  Dor  fid)  fclj'n; 
fef)cn  il)n,  bod)  totrb'S  ju  glauben  iljnen  fdjiner, 
bticft  fo  lit()n  unb  frcut  fid)  foldjer  Ijofjen  <5l)r'! 

16ft  ben  3roe'fc^  °^  ^cr  ®d)nctbcr,  obcr  nidjt  ? 
(Sin  tluger  fagt:  ,,3d)  fd)aff  in  bicfcm  ©unfcl  iHd)t  ! 
Sir  fitfyren  if)n  toorbet  an  jcnem  Crt  ber  (Stabt, 
2Bo  er  im  2)?ar!te  einft  fein  2(rbett§ttfd}Icin  I)att', 
SBcim  ba  fein  Slug'  tjcrtraut  bie  atte  (Stcitte  grii^t, 
X)ann  hJtffen  mir,  bap  c§  ber  'Sdjnctber  ^uftu3  ift!"— 
9JJan  finbet  ftug  ben  ^?Ian,  —  ber  3U9  beracgt  fid)  fort, 
$err  ^uftuS  gcl)t  uoran,  batb  fommt  er  an  ben  £)rt, 
llnb  fiel)'  ba,  unwillfitr(id)  rtd)tet  fid)  fcin  23ttrf 
!X)er  altgewotjntcn  Static  $u  —  er  fdjaut  guriid  - 
Unb  lute  er  ,ju  bent  S^crf'tifd)  l)at  fein  Slug'  genmnbt, 
jDa  lt»arb  al«  @d)neiber  er  oon  mdnniglid)  er!annt. 


|>m  foBcf  §off. 

(Pessach.  113  a.) 

S?on  X)reien  tl)ut  ber  SBetfe  funb, 
@3  lob'  fie  taglid)  ©ottc§  3Kimb: 


—  15  — 

£>en  .3:iittgftttg  ber  im  ©tabtgettmljl 
@id)  rein  beroaljret  [em  ©efitljt; 
£)en  Sfrmen  ber  im  frommen  2Jhtt 
(grftattet  ba3  Dertor'ne  ®ut; 
£>en  Sfteidjcn,  ber  in  £)entnt  Itebt, 
©cfycim  511  Ijatten,  tnaS  er  giebt. 


(Pessach.  113  a.) 

2Son  cmbern  'Dreien     r'  bie 


Ser  fromm  |cin  §er,5  in  9iul)e  ubt, 
33a§  nie  be§  Conies  SoIF  i^n  trubt; 
2Bcr  niid)tertt  Ijiilt  unb  Mar  ben  ©eift, 
3)ap  9?aufd;  iljn  nidjt  3111-  Sljor^cit  rei^t; 
Ser  beugen  Icrnct  (ctn  ©cmitt, 
ntmmer  e§  ^ur  D'lad/  ergtiiljt. 


(Mass.  Dcr.  Er.) 

So  man  ttctnt,  ba  Iji'tte  bid)  311  ladjen, 
So  man  ladjt,  ba  [tore  nidjt  mit  Summer, 
2Bo  man  fdjlaft,  ba  tuolle  bit  nidjt  iradjcn, 
So  man  \vadjt,  ba  banne  betnen  Sdjdtmmer, 
So  man  fi^t,  ba  tuollc  bu  nid)t  ftet)cn, 
So  man  ftctjt,  ba  foKft  audj  bu  nidjt  fitjen, 

mit  Slnbcrn  ftcts  311  gctjen, 
bir  m'clfadj  in  bent  £eben  nii^en, 
jebodj  ben  Slnbcrn  nnr  fo  longc, 
bir  (gdjulb  nid;t  brotjct  anf  bem  ®ange. 


(Chulin  44.) 

3n  bctner  Sirt^'djaft  Salten 
©ollft  bu  e3  alfo  Ijalteu: 


—  16  — 

SBcim  Gsffen  unb  beim  £rinten 
93?uJ3t  bu  bid)  firmer  biinfen; 
Unb  \jait'  bid)  im  (Memanbe 
©enau  nad)  beinent  Stanbe ! 
jDodj  follft  bu  rcid)  bir  fdjeincn, 
$?o  e3  betrifft  bie  £eincn, 
£>enn  tfyre  Stugen  fdjauen 
5luf  bid),  bem  fie  nertrauen; 
§tntt)icber  bir  gum  <gd)ilbe 
©tent  ©otteS  SBatcnnilbc. 


bar 

(Sota  40  a.) 


3roei  2)iei|ter  glcid)  geleljrt  tm 
Sic  let)rteu  Seibe  eiuft  im  felben  £)rte, 
!Der  @iue  flaret  auf  bie  buufcln 
!Dte  ticfe§  ^eufen  b,etfd)eu  im 
5tnb're  aber  bietet  bcm  G^emitte 
alien  ©laubenofragcn  buft'ge  iBIiite. 
^orfd)er  tuirb  Don  2lllen  baib  ticrlaffen, 
Unb  mn  ben  ^Rebner  brangcn  fid)  bie  Sftaffen; 
5)od)  loett  baoon,  fid)  fctbft  gu  iiberfd)dgcnr 
SBtll  cr  triehnefyr  ben  grcunb  in  2W)tHiig  fc^eit: 
,,3iid)t  follt  t^r,  8eute,  mid)  fitr  grower  ^alten, 
Sett  mciue  SBorte  mcljr,  bcnn  feme  galten! 
3'f)r  tni^t,  h)ie  e3  tm  9J?arfte  pflegt  ^u  gefyen: 
!Den  @inen  fc[)t  tt)r  bet  mit  ^crlcn  fteljcn, 
^er  2lnb're  btctct  -JZabeln  ,um  23erlaufe,  - 
3u  lucld)em  brangt  fid)  meljr  bcr  grope  ^aufe? 
X)er  9^abet  ^ret^,  ben  !ann  rooljt  -3cber  bringen, 

rei§  ift  fd)it»ercr  311  erfdjroingen! 
ttcrben  immer  um  gertnge  SSaaren 
3m  2ftarfte  fid)  bie  meiften  Scute  fd)aaren: 
®en  5(bfaij  nun  ben  mad)t  bcr  ^iiufer  3)2cnge  - 
£>en  SSert  jebod)  beftimmt  nidjt  ba§  ©ebrcinge  ! 


—  17  — 
|»ei  Beteii. 

(Sab.  109.) 

<,3u  jeber  3elt  fetcn  beine  ftfeibet  ro«t&". 

¥wb.  9. 

(Sin  $6nig  lub  einft  feme  Wiener  all' 

iColI  ©naben  ein  sum  feftlid)  frozen  SDial)!', 

£od)  fe£t  er  iljnnt  ntd)t  bie  (Stuttbe  feft, 

£)te  fie  oerfammeln  loirb  gum  $reubenfeft, 

<2ie  follten  iDol)Igefc^mitcft  uub  rein 

X)e3  le^tcn  9?ufcd  ftets  .jeroarttg  fein! 

5)ie  ^lugcn  fegen  rafd)  an§  SBerf  bie  £wnb, 

llnb  ridjten  fdjncll  fid)  511  ifjr  ^radjtgetoanb. 

,,9itd)t  lange  want's,  ba  ift  ba§  SWa^l  berett, 

(gin  ^onig  braudjt  sum  ^uftcn  !urse  frit, 
bcffer,  bap  nrir  eine  Stunb'  juoor 
Ijarrcn  im  ^alafteattjor!" 

<So  badjt'  unb  tljat,  wer  Hug  am  §ofe  war; 

jDodj  anberd  tjielt'S  bcr  Xljoreu  trage  ©d)aarr 

©ie  tou^ten,  baJ3  ein  Sftafyi  in  ^u§ftd)t  ftanb, 
(ajftg  rubric  !etner  feine  §anb: 
brdnget  un3  ju  iibergro^er  Crif, 

(gin  groped  9Jiaf)l,  ba^  braudjt  and)  gute  2Betf, 

SU  »3  im  ^alafte  ift  bercit, 

£>a  ^aben  loir  nod)  lange,  lange  gdtl"— 

SDie  3C^  oergel)t,  bie  STfyoren  merfen'5  nid)t, 

53i«  plotjlid)  bcr  53efe^I  bc§  ^b'nig^  fpridjt: 

,,§erein,  t^r  pf[id)tgetrcuen  'Dtener  aft", 

!Die  ©tunbe  fd)(dgt  unb  fcrttg  ift  bad  2)?af)I!" 

5)ie  $(ugen  ^ie^en  ein  mit  froljem  Sinn 

llnb  treten  nritrbig  oor  ben  ^crrfdjer  I)tn, 

Q$  eilet  aud)  ^erbei  ber  2:t)oren  ^djaar, 

Sie  brangt  ftd)  ein,  fo  fdjmufcig,  luie  fie  tuar! 

Qa  grii^t  ber  ^)err  bte  ^fugen  uollcr 
jitrnenb  al^nbet  cr  ber  Xra'gcn 
SSeiSfyeit  ridjtet  nun  fein  mad)tig  Sort, 

£)ajj  fcbem  locrbe  ber  Derbiente  Crt: 

W6tn  foftlid)  2D7aI)t  roill  eincn  gutcn  ©aft! 

@o  freut  Sud)  bcnn  t()r  D^einen  im 


—  18  — 


£)odj  »er  ntd)t  jeittg  fctncn  Stoat  bebad)t, 
ftitr  ben  ift  nid)t  mcin  grcubenfeft  gemadji  !" 


SBann  ruft  bid)  Stfcnfd)!  bcr  §crr  sum  gefte  cin? 
£>u  toetjjt  e§  nidit!  £'rum  Ijatte  ftets  bid)  rein! 


(B.  Mez.  70,  107  a.) 

£)amtt  fcu  fottjl  ben  SSeg  bcr  ©utcn  geV« 
Unt  I>aU«il  ein  bet  grommcn  $fa£>. 

Spr.  2. 

(Sin  SKcifcr  fd)tcfte  cinft  ^IDCI  ©bfbncr  an*, 
Sie  follten  ^o(cn  t^m  ben  SBcin  i 
2(m  Slbenb  fommen  fie  »oin 
£)od)  na^  am  §au|e  ftitrjt  unb  bridjt  ein 
X>er  SSeife,  ber  gelcl)rt  im  9icdjte  tt>ar, 
35erlangt  Grfaij  nun  non  bent  Sotimcrpaar, 
(Sr  ftd)ert  fid)  an  iljrcr  le^'ten  §ab', 
Unb  ntmmt  ben  Slnnen  itjre  3Kiinte(  ab  - 
£>te  fudjen  untjeriucilt  ben  3ftd)tcr  auf, 
Unb  funben  flagenb  iljm  bcr  Sad)e  ^auf. 
£)er  9^td)ter,  nod)  beg  b/oljercn  9xed)te3  Sinn, 
^3efieb,(t:  ff@ieb'  luicbcr  tljrc  Mantel  ^in!" 
Unb  9labbo  [taunt  ob  bicfe^  Sprud)^  iinb  fragr, 
Seld/  9?ed)te^quclt  cin  foldjcS  UrtljcU  fagt?  - 
53a^  Urtl)eil  [inbc[t  bu  C|cfd)ricbcn  [tctjn: 
,,X)amit  bu  folift  ben  SSeg  bcr  ®utcn  geb^n!" 
^3efd)a'mt  tl)ut  nun  bcr  SBeife  nod)  bcm  Sprud), 
©enommen  au3  Sa(o:no'5  ^eirgcm  Sud).— 
Unb  nid)t  gufricben  [tub  bie  Stager  nod): 
,,D  9Jid)ter,  njiirbig'  unf're  Sage  bod) ! 
Sir  fampfen  miiljooU  gegcn  Ijcrk 
Die  fdjroere  SIrbcit  bringt  un^3  fargcS 
Unb  wenn  ttiir  an  bcm  Sofb  gcfd)dbigt  ftnb, 
£)ann  ^itngcrt  elcnb  mit  un6  Scib  unb 


_  1  Q  — 

Ii7 

£)er  9?id)ter  fpridjt  entfdjeibenb:  "®ef),  mem 
llnb  gicb  ben  artneu  tfeuten  iljrett  Sofjn!  — " 
,,,,<2ie  tljaten  ©djaben  mir  iinb  btenten  fd)(cd)t, 
3d)  foil  bejafjlen,  fag'  nod)  meldjem  SRedjt?  — "" 
2lud)  ^icfi'tr  bring'  toon  bort  id)  ben  S3cleg: 
,,llnb  ^alte  immer  ein  ber  grommen  SBeg!" 


ben 

(B.  Mez.  110  b.) 

9?abbi  £and)um§  SBorte  te^ren: 
bu  frcmb  im  Sanbe  and), 
bu  bcimod)  fd)onenb  e^ren, 
tm  Sanbe  ift  ber 


auf  ber 

fid;  ganj  l)immli|d)  and), 
Oljne  £ranf  unb  ol)ne  @peife, 

tm  JQimmd  ift  ber  53raud). 


(gngel  anf  ber  ©rbcnretfe, 

§UI)rtcn  fie  fid)  irbifd)  and), 
2l§en  bet  2(bra^am  (gpcife, 

auf  grben  ift  ber  53raud). 


(B.  bathra  108,  lloa.) 

(gin  Derfdjttncgen  mtlbeg  @eben, 
SBo  fid)  etnigt  §er^  unb  ^>anb, 
$ann  bid)  l)dl)er  nod;  ertjcbcn, 
9H«  ber  l^c^rer  2Rofe«  ftanb. 


ber  Cet)re  f)eil'gen 
Sirb  bir  ber  Seraei^  gcbrad)t: 

em^fuuben, 


—  20  — 

£)od)  nid)t  fiirdftet,  tocr  ber 
©tilled  Cpfer  I)Qt  gebvadjt, 
£>enn  fie  btcnt  pm  ftarfen  <2d)Ube 
c&  Sro'gen 


(Mech.  zu  2  M.  18,  12.) 

S?erfamtnrft  war  ber  g&eifen  <Sd)aar  au 
^u  freuen  fid)  im  feftlictjen  ©elage, 
©etaben  i)at  fie  2Uie  9?abbon  ©amliri, 
5)er  gitrft  au$  Cuba's  ©tamm%  jura 

tlnb  tote  fie  fa'mmtlicf)  fi^ett  in  ber  Xafelrunb, 
llnb  jeber  toartet,  ba|  baa  ajjaijl  begiimef 
gr^ebet  fid)  ber  ^iirft,  befc^eiben  fpridit  fein  2Jhinb 
^(Srlaubct,  ba§  id)  meinett  ©iiften  biene!" 


tteigert  fid)  ber  lueifen  ©afte  grojfre 
Unb  gtaubt,  ba^  feincr  e^  nic^t  wiirbtg  trare: 
»!Dtt  f  (^miicfe  nur  mit  beinem  SBorfife  uttfer  2JiaI)t. 

Siemt  fid)  beffcr  f  iir  bie  gurftenet)re  1" 


£)od>  Slnberg  benfet  9?abbt  Oofua,  cr  fpridjt: 
,©o  lapt  ben  giirften  tfjun,  iuie  er  begefyrte, 
6r  ift  fiinuatjr  bod)  grower  al§  2(braf)am  titc^t, 
rinftmalS  bienenb  feme  ©a'fte  e^rtc!" 


(Sin  3lnb'rer  ruft:  ,3d)  fenne  einen  @ro§ern  nodj, 
®er  bienenb  feiner  ©a'fte  Xi]d)  bereitet. 
llnb  ate  man  fra'gt:  toer  grb'per  ate  Slbratjam  bod)? 
!iDer  fromme  SSeife  auf  jnm  §immei  beittet: 

wllnb  fe^t  i^rgreunbe  benn  nid)t  felber  Jag  fiir  Xacj 
jDen  @d)opfer  alien  23efen  9ial)rung  rctdjcn; 
@o  gebt  e3  toitlig  ju,  baft  nnfer  giirft  cud)  mag 
2lm  ^eut'gen  Xage  fcinem  Sdjopfer  gleicfycn!  —  " 


—  21  — 


(B.  Mer.  29  a,  Jalk  18  a.) 
1. 

€>  fyiite  bid),  bie  ©attin  ju  ocrle^en, 
Unb  tear'  e3  aud)  burd)  fjn£e  Sorte  bto§, 
<5ie  fann  Mr  Xfyranen  nur  entgegenfc^en, 
$)a«  madjt,  o  $)lan\\,  betn  Unred)t  boppdt  gro§  ! 

2. 

Va§,  ©atte,  aitfeer  5luge  nie 
3)te  2ld)tuttg,  bte  ber  fticau  gebit^rt, 
£)enrt  atDtg  fommt  bir  nur  burd)  fie 
$)er  @egen,  bcr  bein  Sotjutjau^  jiert 


3. 

Oft  beint  ©attin  flein, 
!Donn  ®atte  oiicf  bid)  fetti^ 
Unb  ^ordje  auf  i{)r 
Unb  folg«  ii)r  [ofort 


SOSer  Don  ber  grew  fid)  lajst  ernci^ren, 
Unb  fontttc  felber  fdjaffen  ®rob, 
!Der  loirb  »om  ^nngerbrobe  jcljren 
£ebdang  bi«  an  ben 


Xfyterfabel: 


(Midr.  R,  zu  Gen.  443.) 

(S«  jitrnte  einft  bcr  XI)iere  ^ontg  - 

SDie  llntertljanen  gitterten  nid)t  iwenig, 

©ie  traten  fdjftt  jufammen,  fatten  ^Ratl), 

Ser  ajjntt)  genug,  il)tt  ^u  oerfij^ncn,  fjat. 

$)er  $ud)3  fprid)t  :  waWanrf)e«  fa^  id)  nttr  getingen, 

1)urd)  mein  ©enie  mitt  id)  ben  S6tt>en  junngen, 


—  22  — 

3>nn  breimat  fyimbert  n>cij5  ber  gabetn  id), 
9J?tt  biefen  mad)  id)  an  ben  £bnig  mid); 
Unb  la'pt  ber  @errfd)er  mid)  nur  rnfjig  fpredjen, 
£>ann  foil  mein  fcfytauer  SBifc  ben  ©rimm  fdjon  bredjen !' 
£)ie  £b,iere  finb  pfrieben  mit  bcm  ^(an, 
£>er  ^itd)«  tritt  muntcr  feiue  (Senbung  an : 
£od)  fawn  ift  eine  ^Seile  cr  gegangen, 
£)a  bleibt  er  fte^'n  nnb  brel)t  fid)  um  ttotl  Sangen; 
!X)ie  X()iere  fragcn :   ^tim,  luaS  b,dlt  bid)  anf, 
£)aft  bn  fo  plo^Iid)  Ijemmeft  beinen  2auf  ?" 
,,3dj  ging  nur  fuq,  bod)  b,ab'  id),  bcnft!  inbeficn 
Sin  ^unbert  meiner  gabeln  fd)on  Dcrgcffen!" 
2Kan  ruft :  „£)  ftor'  bid)  nid)t  in  beincm  gns, 
3^eit)iinbcrt  finb  fiir  beinen  3roecf  genng!" 
Unb  rtieber  fe£t  er  tiorwdrt^  feinen  Zvitt, 
Unb  nnebcr  jogernb  fteb.et  ftitl  fein  (Sdjritt : 
WS3  mad)t  mid)  mcin  ©ebad)tni§  ^euf  ju  @d)anben, 
^Da3  jnjeitc  §unbert  fam  fo  ebcn  mir  abljanbcn!" 
3J2an  ruft :  W53eb/alt'  baS  britte  nur  tm  @inn, 
Sin  §unbert  gabeln  reidjt  nod)  immer  Ijin!" 
(§r  fdjreitet  Dor,  fdjon  ift  ber  Soro'  nid)t  ferne, 
^Tia  fteljt  ber  ^ud)3 :  ,,O  ^rennb',  id)  bient  end)  gcrne, 
®od)  feb,t!  ber  fdjonen  ^abetn  le£te  3^1, 
3d)  ^ab*  uergcffcn  fie  mit  etncm  2)^al; 
@o  mag  benn  ^}cbcr  fetber  fiir  fid)  benfen, 
SBie  er  ben  £6»cn  fann  jur  2}?ilbe  Icnfen  — 
3d),  grennbe,  bin  nnr  fjalb  gur  (Scnbnng  gnt, 
gift  ift  ba  —  bod)  fefytet  mir  bcr 


J)te  redtfe 

(Midr.   R.   zu  Koh.    5,   5.) 


Sin  Seifer  Ijatte  fcincn  Si^  genommen, 
3n  eine3  geigenbaitmeS  fdjatt'gcn  ^pla^, 
®a  tiep  er  tagUd)  fcine  ^iinger  fommen, 
Unb  tt)et(te  reidjlid)  aud  bcr  Scieljeit  @d)a|}. 


—  23  — 

Dod)  fonnf  eS  balb  bem  Setfen  nid)t  entgefyen, 
T'ajj  friif)  am  ilftorgen  nod)  dor  -£onnenfd)ein 
£>er  £>crr  be?  SBaumcS  roar  am  "^fafe  }u  fefjen, 
ilnb  angftlid)  fammelt  er  bie  #riid)te  cin. 


?eljrer  bcnft  :  Sa3  fjat  er  folrfje  (Site, 
£11  fammeln,  wenn  nod)  tang  bie  2(nbern  ru^'n, 
er  fitrdjtet,  ba^  bet  tattg'rcr  2£ette, 
an  ber 


Seifen  fdjmerjt  ber  Mangel  an  33ertrauen, 
@r  iDttl  nidjt  ttetlen  me^r  an  btefcm  Crt,  — 
Unb  jrtcber  fommt  ber  -Jftann  mit  Xage^grauen, 
53e|orgt  t)ermt(fet  er  ben  2Set]'en  bort. 

Sr  la'j?t  bie  grudjt  unb  fudjet  anf  ben  tfrommen, 
Ilnb  fpridjt  gu  il)m  :  ,,33on  betnem  jiiBen  SSort 
@ii§c  meme§  33aume3  grudjt  befommen, 
trieb  bid)  |)err,  auS  metner  ©renje  fort?" 


£>er  2Bei|"e  b'rauf  :    n^d)  ma^nte  bid)  in  2orgen, 
Ob  beiner  grud)t  bet  un3  nid)t  brol)t  ©efalir, 
S)enn  a'ngftlid)  pfliicftcft  bn  bie  gritd)t  am  Dttorgen, 
lange  nod)  bie  red)le  3tunb'  nid)t  tnar!"  — 


„€)  §err,  ntd)t  biefe  t^urdjt  fyat  mi.1)  beiuogen, 
3Ba§  tjatt'  and)  fotdjen  31Deifel  mil'  gcbracf>t  ! 
$tf)  pfliidte,  et)'  bie  Sonne  fam  gcjogen, 
Setl  eben  id)  bie  red)te  ®tunb'  bebad)t  ! 


'.£)enn  fcljt!  .^d)  ^eB  bit  5riid){e  fyeute 
£)ie  <£otute  traf  fie,  eb/  id)  fam  l)te!)er, 
$b,r  inerbct  fie  nun  Doller  Siinncr  fetjen, 
Unb  tnal)rlid)  nid)t  ^u  braudjen  finb  fie  mcb,r!" 

Unb  finnenb  fteljt  unb  Ijb'rt  ba§  Sort  ber  Sctfc, 
2lu6  jetnem  Singe  ftraljlt  bed  ©laubcn^  i^tdjt, 
S3  laufdjcn  ftill  bie  ^u^9er  r^9^  ^  &wtftf 
Unb  Barren,  >ua§  ber  iDiirb'ge  DJJetftcr  fpi td)t : 


—  24  — 

„£)  ftreunbe,  tfjb'ridjt  inollt'  id)  ben  oerflagen, 
£)a§  er  bie  grudjt  3»  friif)  fat  abgcpprft, 
(5r  ift  nitr  2Kenfd) !  llnb  fann  bod)  grimbtid)  fagen 
•£)ie  red)te  ©tuttb',  bie  (id)  $um  ^pfliicEen  fdjirft.  — 

Sa$  tm'Uft  bu  Dttenfd)  bann  flagon  ob  ber  SSunbc, 
Senn  bid)  ber  £ob  am  Siebfteit  fycimgcfudjt, 
^•ennt  minber  benn  bein  ©ott  bie  rcdjte  (£tunbe  — 
Senn  reif  jum  ^f(itrftn  ift  bie  fiijje 


^Jeffcr  nie  0c6oten. 

(Mid.   Rab.     zu  Koh.  6,  5.) 

(53  fufyren  einft  mttfammcn 
3wei  -Dlanner  uber^  SJieer; 
211^  fie  ^utn  ^Qfcn  fonicn, 
33egcl)rt  ber  (Sine  fe^r 
2ln^  natye  2anb  311  geljen, 
Urn  2llle§ 


(gr  t^at  attd),  n?ie  er  bad)te. 
3Im  £anb,  luie  ftaunt  fcin 
SSoII  9icij  bie  ©egenb  ladjtc  ! 
Unb  iiberaU  imr  ©liicf, 

unb 
f)ier  ju  fagen! 


,'  er  nod)  !onnte  rid)ten 
3Iug'  nad)  iebem  Ort, 
man  bie  Sinter  lid)ten, 
Unb  luteber  mu§  er  fort; 
(Sd  tf)ut  it)m  mel)r  p  fdjeiben 
33on  biefcm  £)rt  ber  greuben. 

Unb  nod)  im  Sd)iffe0rattme 
(gr^aljU  er  ftunbcnlang  : 
,,(5^  mar  mir  tote  im  Xraiime 
Sluf  biefem  fitnen  ©ang; 
(S§  mu§  bid)  ^rcnnb  bctritben, 
!iDa§  bit  nid)t  marft  ba  briiben!" 


tiv  — 

,,llnb  bit,  tnae  fount' ft  bit  bringen 
>Dcr  $reunb  gan$  ntfyig  fprtdjf  8  — 
,,33on  all  ben  SBunberbingen?" 

tt>af)r,  id)  kad)te  — 
mod)t'  e3  nid)t  beljagen, 
urn  ein  9?irf)t3  ju  plagen!" 


(Midr.  R.  2,  M.  33  Ende.) 

@cf)roev  bcgretfttrf)  ir»Ut  btr  fdjeinen, 
S33ie  au5  fetner  §tmmel^tt)elt 
®ott  ber  §err,  ftdj  un«  jtt  etnen, 
sJJtebarfttcg  tn^  ©ttftgejeft. 


Siifung  gebcn, 
ben  SBeien  nid)t  ju  frfjwcr, 
@te  Dertucifen  bid)  ouf'S  £eben, 
2luf  ben  menid)Itd)en  SScrfc^r. 


etlet 

Oft  ber  ^tingling  Uebcntbrannt, 
33et  ber  ^Braut  er  ba  Dcrroeilet, 
lotrb  bic  t^cure 


Sarb  fie  enblid)  ifjm 

er  Ijeim  fie  nad)  ©ejtem'; 
er  bet  ber  £od)ter  luctle, 
3iet)t  ber  ©d)W(it)er  bann  ju  itjm! 


STodjter,  trctlf 
bem  ^tmmet  lang 
er  liebenb  fie  begctjre, 
2Wofe$  ftieg  ^n  ©ott  empor. 

Unb  er  ^olte  fie  Ijernieber, 

ber  (5l)e  ^eil'gen  53unb. 
will  id)  bie  S:od)ter  rcieber  !" 

9?ief  be^  ©w'gen  33atermunb. 


—  26  — 

,,3ft  mehr$inb  in  curcr  ? 
.$n  ber  ^rbijdjcn  33erctd), 

fo  bout  and)  mir  bie  ,f)iitte, 
mill  and)  id)  bet  cud)!" 


geid)t  begreifftd)  mnj$  bir  fdjeinen, 
au§  fciner  §unmelsn>elt 
bcr  Xodjter  fid)  511  cinm, 
ber  £>err  ind  Sttftgejelt. 


(Midr.    R.  zu  Koh.) 

,,33effer  bet  Sag  bc5  2obc3  aI3  ber  ©eturt." 

SBcId)  ein  f  rbfyftdicS  ©einimmcl  ! 

SBeld)  ein  feller  ?iebcrbrau^  ! 
Unter  jubelnbem  @ctiimmel 

?aitft  ein  ©d)iff  Dom  ^afen  au*. 


Unter  tiefem,  triibent  ©djweigen 
Sauft  ein  ©d)tff  im  £>afen  ein, 
Unb  ber  2J?annfd)aft  SD7ienen  geigen 
blaffen  2dicin. 


SBie  toerfe^rt  ift  biefce  Jrciben! 
9^uft  bcr  ©cifc,  bcr  ba§  fiel)t. 
(Solltcn  bie  nid)t  ftillc  blciben, 
di    in3  Seite   iet! 


Tenn  e§  Ml  ja  crft  bcfalircn 
®iefe  fatidie  2£>ellenbab,n, 

Jaufcnb  2J?iib,en  unb  (s5cfab,rcn 
^angen  mit  bcr  9\cife  an  ! 


fcmrnt 

^Sretfen  follte  man  fern  ©liicf, 
ben  ^ampfcn  mit  ben  SSogen 
frieblid)  nun  priicf. 


—  27  — 

8Ufo  flatten  Oubellicber, 

SBenn  ein  Sttenfd)  in3  £eben  tritt, 
Unb  c3  b,altt  ber  <2euf$er  ttucber, 

er  fjehmoarts  feinen  @d)ritt. 


SBeifer  ft>aY  e£,  ben  bcbanem, 

£)em  ber  $ampf  nod)  ftcljt  beoor, 
2lt§  in  Xt)or()ett  ju  betrauern, 
at^  Sieger  ging  Ijeroor  ! 


|)eitt  ^9irSm  bdttctn 

(Tanchuma  28  b.) 

3tuf  bent  ^ronfenbettc  tag  ber  Seij'e, 
5Borbereitet  fiir  tic  te^te  9Mfe, 
in  ba§  frembe  £anb 

treuben)ab,rter  |)anb. 


!Dod)  ber  3)?ann,  ben  Stile 
SBamm  fiiltet  fid)  fein  $8lid  mit 
;Der  int  i^eben  ftet§  nad)  3enfcit^  fal), 
git^It  er  gurd)t  nun,  ba  ber  £ob  iljm 


toeinft  bn  2)?eifter,  ba  bein  @d)eiben 
511111  ©liicf  unb  und  nur  ruft  gu  2eiben: 
SKar  nid)t  an  ©ebanfen  nnb  an  Zfyat, 
bit  fdjaffteft  ftct«  beg  §ei(c»  <2aat? 


bent  getb  ber  fyeil'gen  ®otte«lel)re 
SBarft  fiir  3fraet  bu  ©djmucf  unb 
S^  erteudjtete  bein  Ijellcr  (gtrat)!, 
Reiner  treuen  3imgcr  gro^e 


5(uf  bem  getb  ber  frontmen  t^at'gen 
SBarft  bu,  drifter,  «n«  gum  2)2ufterbtlbe, 
bu  ie  beS  (2d)meqc§  I)erbe 
ba§  bein  §eq  il)m  ^icbe  bot! 


—  28  — 

am  meiften  jiert  bein  frommeS  2£?a(ten, 
befdjeiben  bu  bid)  fyaft  entljalten 
23on  ©emeinbebicnft  unb  9?td)teramt, 
£enen  oft  ber  biife  9iuf  entftammt!" 


f)6rt  bc3 
$Kabbi  Slffi  an  be?  O^rabcS 

er  (d)iittelt  tritb  fcin  ,f)aupt  unb  ipridjt, 
'  fcin  flares  Stage  fterbenb  bridjt: 


eud)  [djetnt  bed  l)o^ften  CobeS  ^ 
mid)  renig  tueiiien  je^t  im  Snbe, 
id)  tro§  bcr  9J?itl)t  unb  @cfab,r, 
92td)t  bed  93olfc§  treuer  Wiener  mar! 


Uebcriumbenb  iebcd  fetg'  53ebtnfen, 
2Wu^t'  id)  ganj  mi^  mcinem  2>olfe  fdjtntcn; 
^agljaft,  fatfct)  bc[d)tiben  lb,at  id)'d  nid)t, 
Unb  utrte^t  ift  nun  bie  ^ett'ge 


id),  ^reunbe,  foil  im  £ob  oerblaffcn, 
SIZuB  nii^t  a'ngftli^  33angen  mi^  erfaffen, 
X)a  id)  legen  foil  bie  9?cc^enfd)aftf 
Ob  icfo,  gau.5  oennert^et  meine  ^raft! 


nad)  regem,  tljaterfittltem  Streben, 
©eb,t  man  frozen  2)iutf)e«  au§  bem  £cben, 
SBenn  man  fitr  fein  33ol!  unb  fiir  fein  tfanb 

gemirft  mit  ^topf  unb  §erj  unb 


(Tanchuina  P.  Ki-Thabo  841  b.) 

©efd)Iungen  t)at  bc«  9?bmcr§  Stcgcrtmnb 
Jm  ;}ubaS  8cib  ba§  fd)were  <Sf(aDenbanb, 
Unb  urn  bie  $ctten  engcr  nod)  gu  flcdjten, 

er  ben  etnig  freien  ©eift  auc^  fned)ten. 

©ottcSinort  toerpbnet  fein  @ebot, 
Unb  feljt  <rf3  ©trof  barauf  ben  3J?artertob ! 


—  29  — 

£>odj  finb  fie  leiblid)  aud)  bed  homers  tnerf)te, 
©ie  toafyren  mutfyig  fid)  bed  ©eifted  9xed)te, 
33ebauen  trcu  bad  fycil'ge  (grbgcbict, 
2lud  bem  OfraelS  befted  $etl  erblitfjt. 
llnb  J)e(benmiUl)ig  auf  bctt  Xob  entfdjloffen, 
4Bcruft  Slfiba  inn  fid)  bie  ©enoffen 
Unb  forfdjt  unb  lefyrt,  baft  forgfam  fei  beftellt, 
llnb  nid)t  Derbbct  Iteg'  bad  I)cit'ge  5"db. 
(5v  natjret  fonber  ^urd)t  itnb  fonber  £kbett, 
SWtt  aller  traft  bed  Sotted  geifttg  I'cben, 
llnb  brtngt  burd)  fetned  ©enfend  glammenmadjt 
(Sin  Celled  gidjt  in  ^ubad  ticfe  9M)t.  - 
tlnb  ^3apod  I)b'rt  Don  btefem  llnterfangen, 
6r  eitet  jn  2(fiba  I)in  Doll  4Bangen: 
,,2Bad  ttittft  bu  je§t  bad  ©laubensroort  uerbrcitcti, 
So  Safard  ©djergcn  bie  ®efe^e  beuten ! 
O  aftetfter,  ftcl)',  bit  bringft  bid)  in  ©efatjr, 
jDtr  bro^t  ber  £ob,  unb  betner 
(gd  fpridjt  barauf  2lfiba  feft  unb  mtlb: 
W3;d)  will  btr  ^eigcn,  nnf  rev  Cage  -33i(b ! 
@o  f)bY  bad  ©letdjntp,  bad  id)  bir  er^a^l 
Unb  fag'  bann  fctbft,  ob  id)  bad  9?cd;te 
Sd  fant  ein  gudjd  ^u  eined  (Stromcd 
StUrao  er  in  bie  33eltcn  fd)aucnb  ftanb, 
®a  fie()t  ein  9?c^  er  in  bie  glutl)  gefenft, 
®er  ^t|d)e  @d)aar  gan^  fdjeu  unb  enggcbra'ngt, 
@ie  fud)et  fid)  311  bcrgcn  angftbeltommen, 
Unb  febed  ftrcbt  bcm  S'ce^e  ju  entfommen. 
£)a  fpridjt  bcr  ^ud)d  mil  I)cud)Icrifd)em  SSorte: 
,,(5ud)  bro^t  ein  fid)'rer  Xob  an  bicfcm  Drte, 
@o  fommt  bod)  Ijcr  ?n  mir  anfd  feftc  Sanb, 
Unb  fd)it£enb  btrgt  cud)  mcine  ^rcunbcdt)anb !" 
@d)on  glaubt  ber  gud)d  gcroip  fid)  fciner  <Sari)e, 
!X)a  tont  l)crauf  ber  ^ifd)c  ©cgcnfpradje: 
,,Unb  bid),  o  gud)d,  bid)  [)cilt  bie  Selt  fitr  Hug? 
£)u  armer  ^ant,  tnie  aibcrn  ift  betn  Xrug ! 
•Dad  SBaffer  I)at  und  ®ott  atd  Sett  bcfd)ieben, 
ftitrben  ba(b,  fo  biefen  ilreid  ivir  micben, 


—  30  — 


£h,or,  bed  nnncr  2Bi£  aid  Settling  nennt, 
roir  »ertaufd)en  unfer  Element, 
Senn  fyicr  fdjon  Slngft  unb  #urd)t  und  tnadnig  faffen, 
SCic  roirb  ed  erft,  tt>enn  nnr  bic  $lutf)  Derlaffen!"  — 
e^  o  ^?apo3,  tencn  3^4)^  9(eid)' 


)etm  nur  im  ffarcn  Strom  ber  fyeil'gen  Vctjreu 
SBirb  biefcd  S3olfed  ^)o[ein  etutg  tuiitiren, 
Unb  brofyt  un*  aitcf)  bc5  9xbmcr^  tbbtlid)  97^, 
2Bir  bletbm  trcu  unb  ftcrbcn  im  ©efe?, 
Sir  ftcrbcn  frof)  bcfcelt  Don  fii^cm  ^offen: 
(S3  ftel)t  bem  ©otte^ooll  bie  ,3ufiinft  offen, 
Unb  nimmer  fdjtcigt  fitr  un3  bie  le^te  (Stuttb', 
(go  lang'  tutr  trcu  bcm  altcn  ©laubenebunb  ; 
3a  nur  tnir  fclbcr  fbnncn  uns  oerberben, 
2Som  ©lauben  laffcn  —  ift  OfracIS  Stcrfccn  !  ---- 


tang  barauf,  ba  toerben  cingebradit, 
3wei  ®d)itlbigc  in  eineS  ^erferd  9^ad)t  - 
Unb  traucrooll  fprid^t  ^3apoS  ba  jum  SSeifen. 
,,2Bie  mu§  Slfiba  id)  bid)  gUtrflid)  preifcn, 
®n  ftirbft  ate  £^0  fitr  beine«  ©laubene  <5t)r', 
1)od)  tneb/',  mid)  fii^rt  nur  eitler  Xanb  Ijie^er!" 


Pie  jUtare. 

(Jalk.76b.) 


1)urd)  @alemr  ba§  bercits  tiom  ^einb  crobcrt  roar, 
<$tng  roanbelnb  I)in,  in  2Sel)mutt)  einft  eiit  ^Seifenpaar, 
Unb  a!3  iljr  gup  bctrat  bed  jtentpelbcvged  9tanb, 
3Bo  furj  gitoor  nod)  65ottc3  ^eit'ge  So^nung  fianb, 
X)a  rief  ber  ^i'mg're  aud  mit  tfyra'nenri  oiler  ^(ag': 
,,O  ©djmerj,  ba§  roir  erleben  mitffen  foldjen  £ag  ! 

d)rocred  und  bctraf,  c3  trifft  und  nidjtd  fo  fdntier, 

ba§  bed  Dpferd  !^uft  nid)t  loft  bie  Si'mbe  mel)r  ! 

Opferftatte  l)at  derfbljnt  und  ©otted  §ulb, 


—  31  — 

Ste  ift  serftort!  2Ba3  fitlmet  fimftig  unf'rc  ©dmlb?  — " 
$>er  alt're  Sttetfter  fpridjt:    ff3Bof)t  ift  e8  luafyr,  mein  (gofm 
©credit  bet  biefem  2(nbltcf  ift  ber  3Hagc  £on ! 
$)od)  in  ber  fyerbcn  SHagc  fetbft,  ttergiejj  e§  ntdjt, 
T)afe  nimmer  e3  am  Siifynemittcl  un«  gebricfyt; 
3erftort  ift  too^t  bie  ©tatf  Don  frcotcr  getnbe^^anb, 
3Bo  man  ber  Sdjulben  ®it()n',  bie  Opfcr  ^at  oerbrannt, 
2Bo  etnft  ber  ^defter  ©rfjaar  b,at  urn  ben  £tciift  gelooft, 
^a  groR  ift  ber  SJcrfuft  —  bod)  Mctbt  un«  nod)  gum  Sroft 
Sin  Hltar,  wo  ber  fromme  8tnn  ba^  Opfcr  brtngt, 

b,eit'ger  ®uft  jum  ^immet  fitp  unb  fit^nenb  bringt. 
ajjenfd)enliebe  fjeil'ger  9Utar  ftel)t  berett, 
Die  SUiilbe  iff*,  bie  ba  be§  $BoI)ttl)un«  Opfer  roctyt! 
ait8  ber  SJJilbe  8aat  bc«  gm'gcn  §n(b  erblitb,t, 
tc^rt  ber  fromme  ©anger  nn^  im  fjeifgen  i*ieb, 
®ott  ber  §crr  auf  9J?i(be  mefjr  benn  Opfer  fd)aur 
Unb  tote  beg  8&o$$int6  Sdule  Ija'If  be§  SSe(taag  Sou! 


(Jalkut  5  b,  Pes.) 

u  @ibon  Icbte  einft  etn  (Sfyepaar 
n  ^ub,'  unb  gricben  mand)c$  fitpe 
etne  SSoIfe  trubt  ben  ^ort^ont, 
b,au3ltd)  @Iitcf  ols  tjclle  ©onne  tfjront; 

war  bem  9J2onn  etn  wacfer  Seib  gewaljrt, 
ib,n  burd)  IHeb'  bcgtitcft,  burd)  Xugenb  el)rt, 
tna§  mit  @d)tner$  an  feinem  ©crjen  nagt: 
btetbt  oin  t()eurer  6egcn  il)m  derfagt, 
laUt  iljm  SSater  gn  ein  ^inbe^mimb, 
grudjt  entbliil)t  ntd)t  fctncr  Sicbe  33unb; 
b,arrt  unb  Ijoffct  auf  etn  tfycurcs  ftinb, 

n  ber  ^"Ijrc  I)ingegangcn  ftnb, 
Unb  ba  burd)  biefc  ganse  lange  grift 
33crgeblid)  all'  fetn  feljnenb  §  off  en  ift, 
2BiIl  er  fid)  trenncn,  ob  ber  Sd)merj  aud;  tief, 
S3on  feiner  ©attin  burd)  ben  ©djeibebrtef. 


—  32  — 

33on  £eib  erfafft,  fud)t  fie  be*  Setfeu 
2Bie  wo[)l  311  Ijinbern  fci  be*  ©atten  £l)at; 
£>er  gromme  ritft  ben  ©atten  nor  fid)  I)in  — 
$)od)  anbert  uid)t  fcin  SSort  ben  feften  Sinn! 
,,O  sJfteifter,  fief)'  id)  liebe  fie  ja  fel)r, 
@*  nrirb  ba*  Sdjeiben  meinem  ^ergen  fdjwer; 
£)od)  trennct  nn'ber  3SitIen  unS  bie  ^pflid)t, 
2)enn  33aterfcgen  ratrb  mtr  oon  i()r  nidit; 
Unb  jum  33etDcte,  bag  fie  mtr  lieb  unb  wert^, 
2)?ag  nefjmcn  fie,  aionad)  i^r  §cr^  bcgc^rt, 
^d)  tottl'ge  ein,  bajj  fie  fiir  fid)  befyatt, 

53efte,  ba*  tut  $cmfe  iljr  gefallt!"  — 

grommen  fallt  ein  te^teS  2)cittel  ein: 
,,2o  mog'  e*,  2o()n,  nad)  beinem  SSitlcn  fein, 
SBerfaffcn  fott  bie  Slrmc  balb  bcin  §auS, 
jDod)  bitf  id)  (Sine*  mir  Don  eud)  nod)  cm* ! 

djlo^et  einft  ben  33unb,  be* 
^citent  geftgcfang,  bcim 
@o  fetert  bcnn  and),  el)'  ifyr  loft  ben  4Bunb, 
3)?itfammen  frot)  nod)  cine  ^ctt're  Stunb' !" 
®er  3Seife  benft :    g*  fniipft  bcr  grcitbe 
2Melfetd)t  auf*  S^cu  ba*  ouf gctocferf  33anb ! 
®er  @atte  benft :    «2ie  foil  nid)t  trauernb  gch/n, 
3d)  will  fie  felbft  im  ^djeiben  frb'fjlid)  fct)'n!  - 
2Ba*  benft  bie  ©attin,  wic  fie  l)6rt  Dom  9J?aI)I? 
^tjr  5lnt(i£  farbt  ein  milber  ^rcnbcnftral)!, 
2U*  war'  baljin  be*  Summer*  letter  9?cft, 
53cforgt  fie  entfig  frol)  ba*  2(bfd)icb*feft; 
Unb  lute  fie  2ltlc*  l)at  pred)t  gcmadit, 
Unb  tuie  bent  3lbenb  fotgt  bie  ftiUe  97ad)t, 
®a  fifeen  fie  fo  innig  unb  fo  traitt, 
Unb  frenen  fid)  ivie  ABra'utigam  unb  53raut ; 
®ie  fpredjen  Don  ben  grcubcn  fritt)'rcr  gcit, 
Unb  fd)Weigen  Don  bcr  £rcnnung  fd)wcrcm  ^eib; 
®ie  ©attin  wirb  burd)  mand)cn  3prud)  gec()rt, 

febem  2prud)  luirb  treu  ba*  ©(a*  geleert. 
trinft  fo  lange  auf  tl)r  gute*  ©Oicf, 
t()m  ber  SScin  Derfd)Iicf;t  ben  fcudjtcn 


—  33  — 

Sic  nun  ber  2ftann  in  tiefcn  @d)(af  oerfinft, 
Die  ©attin  rafd)  ben  treuen  Sftagbcn  imnft : 
,,yJtad)  meineS  SSatcrS  £>aufe  tragt  Urn  fort!" 
Unb  illicit  crfitflct  lotrb  ber  £>crrin  Sort ; 
$alb  fd)liejjt  ifyn  ein  ba3  trautidje  ©emad), 
So  er  toon  IHebe  oft  jur  ^ungfrau  fprad).  — 
1)e8  Seined  Dauber  roeidjt,  ber  aj?ann  erwadjt, 
(Sr  ftount  umtjer :    ,,So  bin  id)  fytngebradjt? 
3d)  fa§  baljetm  bod)  bei  bcm  2lb[d)tebfd)tnau«, 

ift  meitt  Sette  ntcf)t,  ift  ntd)t  mein 
?tr  fdjetnt  fo  fremb  unb  bod)  befcmnt  ber 
6^  nerft  mid)  nod)  bc3  Seined  wuftcr  Xranm !" 
T)ic  ©attin  fie()t  gur  @eite  ftel)'n  ber 
Unb  frogenb  b(idct  fie  fein  2luge  an; 
netgt  fid)  tiebcnb,  faffct  feine  § 
S^riine  g(an^t  an  ifjrer  Simper  9?anb : 
^rcunb,  bu  fictjft,  bcine  Sitle  ift  gefdje^'n, 
^ie^eft  l)cim  mid)  ju  bcm  33ater  geb.'n, 
^aft  bn  »or  bcm  Seifcn  mir  gewa'fjrt: 

ncb.mcn  fie,  monad)  itjr  §erj  begeb.rt, 
aiid'ge  b'rein,  ba§  fie  fitr  fid)  befyaft 
ba«  im  £aufe  il)r  gefa'Ut!"" 
33erlaffen  l)ab'  id)  nun  bcm  £>au$,  —  id)  ging 
Unb  na()m  mit  mir,  uioran  mein  ©e^nen  t)ing; 
fiitjrtc  frcubig  I)eim  ber  munt're  £d)rirt, 
bid)  o  Wlann  —  bag  53efte  nab,m  id)  mit, 
£)u  UcBeft  ina'I)(en  mid)  bc$  §aufe§  £m, 
3d)  tt)a'l)(e  bid)  —  bit  bteibft  p  eigen  mir. 
Du  ntmmft  mir  nid)t,  twng  id)  crforen  fyab', 
Unb  treunen  faun  un§  fitrber  nur  ba^  @rab !  — " 
lDer  ©atte  fd)ineigt  erfd)itttert,  fdjmeigt  unb  weint. 
T)ie  &iebe  fiegt!    @ic  fiub  auf§  9ceu  dereint! 
1)er  §immcl,  ber  ber  (SMcn  St^ra'nen  ja^It, 

aud)  batb,  ma^  nod)  ^um  ©tiirfe  fet)tt. 


—  34  — 


(Jalkut   146  b.) 

feiner  @d)iHer  roettem  $reife, 
bis  ©abbatl)  Slbcnb  fpat, 
3  £eben3roort  ber  SBeife, 

t3  ber  £ag  jur  Dleige  ge^t. 


wa^renb  er  in  biefen  ©tunben, 
Xtjctlt  ben  -O'tittgern  ?eben  au§, 
ber  Xob  fid)  eingefimben, 
n  be^  OJMfterS  eig'nem  §au«. 


^wet  ®b^ne  fyoffnungSretd)  unb  blitfjenb, 

©terben  t)in  in  etner  ®tunb', 
5lrme  Gutter,  boppelt  gtii^enb, 

if)r  ©cfjmerj  bte  ©eele  luunb! 


ie  barf  nid)t  laut  i^r  SSe^e  Hagen, 
ja  noc^  ber  ©atte  ntd;t  - 

mup  fie  ®d)it>cre3  tragen, 
troften  ift  it)r' 


te  legt  in§  53ett  bie  betben  Setcfjen, 
£)erft  fie  mit  bem  Xu^e  311, 

bc§  Uummerg  @pur  bann  ineidjen, 
3aubert  auf  i^r 


SSertjoat  ftnb  fdjon  be«  2J?a'rib  Xbne, 
§eim  ber  SSeife  fcfyrt  fofort; 

«2Bo  finb  meine  lieben  ©bfjne?" 
Oft  be«  Waters  erfteS  SSort. 


Die  @attin  jatjmt  be6  ©djmcqeg  9?egen: 
,,Serben  nod)  im  £ef)rfaal  fetn!" 

9?eic^t  ben  SBedjer  bann  sum  (Segen, 
Den  er  fpricfyt  bet 


—  35  — 

<Stc  fe^t  bem  ©atten  Dor  bte  ©peife, 
S3alb  bccnbet  ift  fctn  2Jtoffo 

w9Kcinc  @of)ne?"  ruft  ber  SSeife, 
gragenb  nun  311111  jroeiten  2M. 

®te  bcbet:    w3Bcrben  fyeim  balb  fefjren! 

gafft  fid)  tnutljtg  bann  itnb  |>rtrf)t: 
SBiUft  bu  9?abbt  miti)  bcfc^ren, 
mtr 


<5S  gab  rair  Dor  be§  ©abbath> 
©etnen  ©rf)a^  ein  9)?an:t 

©oil  ic^  luicbcr  nun  erftattcn, 
!Diefem  [ein  bertrauteS  @ut? 


SBetfc  ftaimt  :    „»  fannft  bu  frogcn?! 
Statt'  c^  un»erft)ci(t  surii^ 
©icb  *3>  loifftg  o()ne  illagcn, 

aui^  bag  ^odjftc  ©JiidE  la 


<S^  ruft  bie  ©attin  grojj  int  Setbcn: 
w@ctb  t^r  |)err  jn  in  bem  ,^)aue>! 

©e(ber  luoUt  id)  nidjt  entfd)eiben, 
©ebt  Hjr  fclbft  ba«  ®ut 


Sic  fprtt^f  d  unb  faffet  feinc 
5ii()rt  if)n  I)  in  jur  trailer  ftatf, 

Sttftct  bann  beS  Xud;e3  (gnbe  — 
(gr  erftarrt  ara  Xobtenbett. 

»,O  ©oljnc,  ©offnung  meiner  Xage!" 
Oamnicrt  cr  in  @dnner,}en§nmtl)  — 

,,9?abbi,  gebt  bod)  ofyne  0age 
§-in  ba§  andertraiite  ©ut! 

3u  iiben  ift  bie  ©tunb  gefommcn, 
at«  9fcrf)t  tljr  ^abt  erprobt, 
gr  gab  f)at  ©ott  genommen, 
©mg  fa  fctn  9?am'  gelobt!" 


—  36  — 

Unb  [title  wetnen  fie  nun  Beibe, 
9M)ig  wirb  fetn  ttrilber 

Xroft  im  f)bd)ften  £eibe 
33ietet 


|>es  ^ifltaw  peril).20 

(Jalkut  II,  133.) 

2luf  einem  Sdjiffe  fanben  fid)  3ufammen 
3Siet  reidje  banner,  bie  mtt  Saaren  famen, 
!Da  war  oud)  enter  t)om  ®elet)rten|"tanb, 
!Der  brad)te  nid)t3,  er  !am  mit  leerer  §anb ! 
,,2Bo  ift  bie  Saare",  ^brt  er  5lIIe  fragen, 
,,£)te  uberg  9Keer  bu  wiflft  311 2ftarfte  tragen?" 
e^er  fotlt  ttjr  ineine  SSaare  fc^'n, 

loir  nid)t  auf  bem  f often  £anbe  ftetj'n!"" 
35oU  ^eiigtcr  fieljt  man  nun  umljer  fie  geljcn, 
Urn  biefeS  9D?anne§  fiabung  gu  erfpat)en  : 
©te  finbcn  mdjts  im  ganjen  ©djiffeSraum, 
@ie  fpotten  nedenb  fein,  er  ad)tet'6  faum; 
X>od)  follf  ben  Seuten  fd)led)t  ber  ©pott  befommen, 
3Son  SRaubern  ftiarb  ba§  ga^r3eug  bait)  genommen; 

war  ber  retdjcn  Scute  jammer  grop, 
fe^t  an§  Sanb  fie  alle  nacEt  unb  blo§. 

iranbern  flagenb  t)tn  auf  frember  (Srbe, 

(Sincr  tragt  gan3  ru^tg  bie  33efd)tt>erbe  - 
langem  SSanbern  fommen  fie  $ur  (Stabt, 
3tn  Jpunger,  !Durft  unb  anbern  Quaten  fatt, 
@ie  ftc^en  ratljlo^  in  ber  Strafe  3J2ttte; 
V3iur  (Siner  fbrbert  fidjer  fcine  ^d^rttte, 
(Sr  fudjt  fid)  unter  ttielen  ein  ©ebtiube  au«, 
(sr  geljt  I)inein  tn'3  tt>ol)(befannte  §au§, 
Sic  fotlt'  ber  9Beife  nid)t  ba^  §au§  ertcnnen, 
X)a«  ff33etf)au3"  ,,^e^rfd)ul"  »ir  sngteid)  benennen, 
(Sr  finbet  gatjlrctct)  bort  ber  grommen  ©djaar, 

ba  Derfammelt  3um  ©ebcte  war. 
fteigt  gur  hansel  auf,  beginnt  3U 


—  37  — 

Unb  crntct  reidjen  2ol)n  on  ©oft  itnb  (gfyrcn; 
Ter  2#ann,  ben  @otte£furd;t  unb  2Set3l)cit  jiert, 
Sirb  im  STriitinp^  bic  <£tr<ijj'  entlang  gefiifjrt. 
£ie  3d)iff3genoffen  fefjen  ba3  (Subrange, 
iSrfennen  ben  ©efafyrtcn  in  bcr  Sftenge. 
5ie  fjbrcn,  h)te  man  preifenb  it)n  erfyebt, 
X^a  wcrben  fie  uon  ^offnung  neit  belebt : 
,,D  (SMcr  ^ab'  mtt  unfrer  9?ot^  (Srbarmen, 
'^Du  fcnnft  ja  bic  ©cnoffen  no^,  bic  Strmen!" 
@d  [prid)t  mit  DJtMIbc  nun  ber  toetfe  SD^cnn : 
,,3d)  will  eucl)  l)c(fen,  ^reunbe,  luic  id^  fann, 
fcljt  ben  l)ol)en  23ertl)  jegt  tncincr  Saaren, 
finb  ntir  ftdjcr  fetbft  toor  9?duber|djaaren." 


(Rabb.  Koh.  12,  5.) 

iin|d)t,  teas  er  nidjt  I)at, 
Unb  iDiub  bc^  2Biin|djcni  nimmcr  fatt! 
f oftbar  ift,  loag  cr  b  c  g  c  I)  r  t, 
cr  b  e  [  1 1 5 1,  oerltcrt  ben  35krtl), 

T)er  2lrme,  ^at  cr  wentg  fllcid), 
(Sr  trcibt  c«  mtt  bent  Sen' gen  reid), 
T)er  2lcrmfte,  bcr  ant  2»angcl 
(Sr  fdjd^ct  uur,  toad  er  bege^rt. 

Ob  arm  unb  Ketn,  ob  rcid;  unb 
2)ad  SBunfdjcn  bleibt  bc3  i?cbcn3 
Itnb  SlUen  tnirb  bic  glcidje  §ab; 
9?ad)  langcr2Kiif)' — :  ba3  bnnfie 


Bcim 

(Jalkut  P.  Noach  Ende.) 
I. 

'  ein  SHegen  unb 
bcm  ^(an  Don 


—  38  — 

3u  bem  23au  ben  ©runt*  311  legat, 
(gilt  fyerbci  ber  SSolfer  ©djaar;. 
£)enn  ed  I) at  fie  2UT  berufen 
Sftimrob  bcr  geraalt'ge  £>c(b, 
£)cbcn  feined  £f)roned  (gtufen 
SBift  cr  bid  girm  2tcrnen$elt; 
sJitd)t  genit^t  iljni,  bajj  auf  6rbe:t 
geftgegrunbet  ift  feiu  £l)ron, 
Sludj  bed  C)tmmel^^)err  511  ipcrbnt, 
Svaumt  er  freoetn  Sinned  fcfyon. 
Unb  atd  giilt  e^  gnter  @acf)e, 
(gammctt  er  bcr  SSoIter  3a^'- 
cr  fid)  ju  3Haoen  mad)e 
unb  §immel  all3uma( ! 
i^iir  ba3  S5>erf  fie  311  geirtnnen/. 
©tebt  er  fi(^  bcr  2tebe  <2d)rin; 
@ein  tljrannifd)  liftig  (ginncn 
©tebt  i^m  fd)(oue  9Jcbe  ein : 
w^rennbe,  benft  ber  ^citcn 
!Die  nod)  ^eitf  un§  $urd)t 
31^  Don  etnem  gropen 
SBarb  bie  gan^e  Sett  bebccft! 
Setl  ben  3)Jenfd)en  bo$  gctnogen^ 
geinMid)  ift  bie  |)tramel3mad)t, 
>Daritm  ^at  fie  in  ben  SBogen, 
Sltlen  3)^enfd)cn  Xob  gebrad)t ! 
Unb  fie  intrb  aud)  Ijent'  nid)t  taffen 
Iln3  bed  £)a|"ein3  Ironed  $Red)t, 
@ie  beftimpft  nttt  i^rem  §affen 
bad  menfd)lid)e  ©e[d)Ied)t. 
fo  laf;t  und  finnen  53ritber, 
SBad  3U  itnf'rem  (Sd)n^e  gut, 
Da^  bie  bb'fe  2)?ad)t  nidjt  iuteber 
Und  begrdbt  niit  il)rer  ^Int^. 
SBeit  bie  2Renfd)^cit  fid)  jerftreutc, 
<2d)tt>tid)te  fie  fid)  felber  ab, 
Unb  fie  toarb  aid  leidjte  53ente- 
gingettjan  ind  SSellengrab. 


—  39  — 

SBolIten  nrir  unS  aud)  ^erftreuen, 
'Xfjeilen  unfre  eig'nc  ftraft, 
23alb  nnrb  fene  2Jtad)t  fid)  freuen, 
£)a§  loir  fclbft  if)r  <£ieg  berfdjafft! 
£}antm  (apt  ticreint  un$  leben 
(Snggei'djaart  311  unfcrm  <S 
®a§  tnir  o^ne  ^urd)t  imb 
Sietcit  fclbft  bcm  £nmmel 
Sa^t  un^  brflbcrlic^  benn  griinben 
(sine  groBe,  toeitc  ©tabt, 

in  t^r  mag 

nur  2)7enfcf)en(eben 

mit  ^immcl^ofjcn 

itn8  bauen  etncn 
£a§t  ben  §immel  gu  geinnnen 
2Jhitf)tg  teagen  un§  ben  ©turm. 
£>en  oeriDegen  fiit)nen  5H)aten, 
@(aubt  mir,  mirb  fetn  <Steg  311  fdjtver! 
jDaS,  o  ^rennbe,  end)  gn  ratten, 
9?ief  t^  Itcbcnb  end)  Ijtefyer!" 
^unbenb  wirft  bie  freole  9Jcbe : 
,,©ei  bcr  Seg  and)  nod)  fo  ftei(, 
Untcrnoirnnen  ftiirb  bie  ^cljbe ! 
9cimrob  fii^r  im§!    9?imrob  §cil! 
•JZimrob  ©ril!    (Sr  fiiljrt  bie  SBoffcn 
pr  ber  2)?cnfd)^cit  I)ciltg  9ied)t! 
9?tmrob  mirb  ben  §immel  fdjaffen 
Un«,  bcm  mcnfdjltdjen  ©cfd)(ed)t!"— 
Slrmc  Xljoren!     fie  ocrtrauen 
g§  ber  5tt)rannenliftr 
jncn  ntd)t,  ba^,  rcaS  fte  baucn, 
rei{)cit  fitrfcr  ift!  — 

)'  ein  ^Rcgen  unb  ^Betuegen 
3n  bem  <pfan  Don  (Sd)inear, 
,BU  bem  ©an  ben  ©runb  3U  legen, 
©It  tjerbet  bit  S35Ifer  (2d)aar !  — 


—  40  — 

IL 

Unb  bas  £retben  biefcr  2JZenge 
Sdjaut  ein  jingling  ftnnenb  an, 
$n  bem  braufenben  ©ebrange 
33Ietbt  er  fret  com  bunfetn  SSatjtu 
Diefcr  -^itngtmci,  ber  ge^ogen 
3u  bcm  4Bau  mtt  Slnbern  lam, 

ein  Jropfen  in  ben  23ogen, 
Soljn  iff  8,  Slbratjam! 
ift  an  i^m  311  lefen, 

ju  ©ro^em  er  bcfteflt, 

5  Icbt  in  feinem  SSefen 
Sine  neue,  beffre  Selt; 
Seiner  3i'9e  51^1  fiinbet 
33on  ber  (gcele  eblem  2ftutl), 
Unb  fein  flammenb  3luge  giinbet 
§of)er  SSafjr^eit  ^eit'ge  ©lut^; 
£>elbenmiitf)tg,  feftcnt[cl)loffen 
Stef)t  fie  ba,  bte  iraftgeftalt, 
Unb  »on  SDctlbe  fanft  umfloffeti 
Uebt  fie  boppeltc  @eiralt! 
3t(fo  fte^t  er  ftnncnb  ftitte, 
^n  ber  (2eele  toirb'g  tl)tn 
§errf(^en  ift  nur  9?tmrob'§ 
X)ocl)  begliicfen  ttiiU  er  ntcfjt! 
58te  fonnf  93?enfc^englitcf  erftreben, 
28er  ber  Slttmarfjt  giebe  fcfjmdtjt, 
Ser  in  tollcm  Ueberfjeben 
i(jr  geniiber  fte^t! 
ber  2ftenfd)en  ©liicf  begritnben 
58er  fie  ifjrent  ©ott  ent-,ie^t? 
;Ta  nur  £)enen,  bie  il)n  ftnben, 
28at)re3  ©liicf  aitf  (grbcn  bluljt! 
ten  ba3  ©liicf  ben  SWenft^cn  brtngen, 

mit  ^reil)cit  treibt  nur  Spiel? 
ba§  (Sftaoenjod)  fie 

ift  ^tmrob'S  etn$tg 


—  41  — 


2Hfo  ift  Slbro^ame  !£enfcn 
llnter  £ned)ten  fret  unb  grofc, 
2ttttleib3t>oll  fid)  niebcrfenfeu 
(Seine  33ltcfe  auf  ben  £rofj! 
Sluf  ben  Strop,  ber  luafynbefangen 
©einen  $erfermeifter  pretft, 
28etl  er  fyalten  null  gefangen 
giir  ^^rtaufcnbe  ben  ©eift.  — 
Unb  ba«  Xreiben  biefer  2)?enge 
Sdjaut  bcr  .3^9^119  finnenb  an, 
3n  bent  broufenben  ©ebrange 
53(eibt  er  fret  dom  bnnfetn  2Ba{)n. 

HL 

3ubeln  t)6rt  man  ben  Xt)rannen 
$tnter  fetner  §errfd)aft  Sail, 
X)enn  be^  33aue3  Ic^te  Spannen 
@tnb  bcr  gretljett  letter  gall!  — 
unb  tmmer  tjo^er  ragcn 

3  Xl)nrme§  QJJaucrn  fd)on, 
2litfii)a'rt3  ift  ber  33au  gctragen 
jur  SSolfenregion!  — 


bie  Sftcnge  feud)t, 
monbcnlang  gn  fdjleppen, 
bie  ,f)5l)e  ift  errcidjt; 
Unb  fie  ftnb  fo  ttcf  gefuufen, 
@o  ocrt^icret  fctg  oerjagt, 
!Da^  Dom  eig'nen  <Sd)inetBe  trunfen, 
Sluf  juat^men  Reiner  ^agt. 
®enn  e3  l)at  fid)  fdjncll  geincnbet, 
Sie  ber  53au  an  §dtj'  gerotunt: 
^imrobS  Stcbe  l)at  gecnbet, 
Unb  bie  Xtyrannei  bcgtnnt! 
Unb  e3  treibt  gur  ftrengcn  groyne 
3e^t  bie  ©ei^el  ungeftort, 
§eller  ftrafylet  97imrob§  Urone, 


—  42  — 

liefer  fmft  ber  2Kenfd)l)ett  SBertl) ! 
S03ie  fid)  bort  bcr  ©fiaoe  Winbet 
Unter  graufem  (gdjergenfpiel! 
ber  SSbgte  ^er^en  fd)tt>inbet 

menfd)lid)e  @efitt)I! 
©eladjter  fyort  man  fdjallen, 
sum  £immcl  Ijofjnenb  brauft, 
SBenn  »om  ©ctjrotnbet  iiberfallen, 
gtner  fat)  $ur  Xiefe  fauft. 
2Bie  bie  2eid)en  fid)  ^u  Bergen 
S^iirmctt  um3  ©eriifte  auf ! 
Salt  imb  rut)ig  je^n  bie  (2d)ergcn 
^ieberftiirsen  §auf  urn  §cuf ! 
2Ber  ttollt*  !inbifd)  aud)  erbeben 
Ueber  eme«  9JJenfd)eu  Xob, 
Senig  jfiljlt  ein  <2HaocnIcbcn, 
$80  an  ^anben  feme  Jlotl) !  — 
Slber  weld)'  ein  Oammcrritfen, 
Seld)'  ein  £lagen,  meld)'  ein 
Senn  bon  be^  ©eriiftcS  Srufen 
9?ieberrollt  ein  3«9clftcin! 
®a  ftcb,t  man  bie  <Sd)ergen  rrauerit, 
§6rt  man  ftbljncn  it)re  Sruft: 
K5ld)  n>ie  tange  lutrb  eS  bauern, 
8Uerfe$tiftber$erfitfti 
^ommen  tnirb  bcr  9J?onb  imb  get)en, 
Si§  ^inauf  ein  <2f(aue  fd)»an!t, 
53iS  ^u  jenen  Sotfcnfyofjen 
©ieber  auf  ein  v2tctn  gelangt!"— 
@ie  bie  nimmcr  fid)  ermcid)cn 
55ei  be3  ^ebenmcnfdicn  ^?cin, 
©fig  fdjaut  ib,r  Slug'  auf  ^ctdjen, 
§eip  bcwcmcH  fie  ben  Stein!  — 
3nbeln  I)6rt  man  ben  Xtjranncn 
^inter  feiner  §errfd)aft  SBall, 
I^eun  be^  53aue5  Ic^tc  (gpanncn 
Stub  ber  2)?enfd)t)eit  letter  gall! 


—  43  — 

IV. 

Unb  Slbraljant  fiefyt  bie3  Strciben, 
£iefe$  2Bef)  burdjglitljt  fein  §01-5: 
^err,  fo  fann  e3  nimmer  bleiben!" 
9?uft  er  bebenb  IjimmelroartS; 
w©iel)',  e3  nn'nbct  fid)  im  (Sterbcn 
Seined  Sidjtee  fjclle  3ttad)t, 
Unb  bte  §errfd)aft  milt  nun  erben 
SSaljneS  finftre  9iad)t! 
o  §err,  jertritmmcrt  licgen. 
!iDort  ber  grciljcit  Ijctltg 
llnb  e§  Ijaudjt  in  lefctcn 
@d)on  bcr  ©ctft  ®cin  (Sbcnbilb  I 
@ttrbt  er  l)tn  an  fetnen  SSunben, 
Uuter  bc§  Stljranncn  (Streid), 

foil,  (Sw'ger,  bann  bel'nnben, 

auf  (Srbcn  ift  ICcin  ^ictd)  ? 
5Darf  ber  ©cift  fid)  nidjt  erl)cben, 
unb  fret  jn  X)ir  empor, 

ift  bann  be3  2)?enfd;en  l^eben? 
SBiifte  ©teppe,  obcr  Whovl  - 
^>err,  e3  fteljt  fo  f(ar  gefdjricben 
5luf  ber  Sdjbpfung  gro^em  ^Blatt, 
£}aJ3  jDu  bift  baS  eitt'ge  Siebcn, 
ICcffcn  ^)ulb  fctn  Gnbe  fjat! 
<£eit  id)  ftaunenb  l)ab'  gelefen 
jDeincr  SBcrfe  l)cil'ge  (Sdjrift, 
©laub'  unb  ban'  id)  auf  £)ein  Sefen, 
SaS  mid)  aud)  auf  erben  trifft ! 
SBenn  id),  ^>err,  mid)  l)od)erfreue 
5ln  ber  fdjbncn  Grt-e  giw, 
@ud)t  mein  Slug'  beS  ^)tmmcl8  Slauc, 
Unb  id)  bant e,  SSater,  i)ir ! 
Silt  mein  ^er^  in  &ib  berjagen, 
@ud)et  ^Did)  mein  fcucfyter  53lirfA 
Unb  be§  §tmmelg  (£terne  fagcn: 
,,®ott  jn  glaubcn,  fci  bcin  ©tud!" 

bie  @onne  burdj  bie  Seiteit 


—  44  — 

Siebenb  ifyre  3tral)len  tragt, 
SDWdjf  id)  biefeg  ©(iicf  Derbreiten, 
2Bo  cm  9ftenfd)enl)er$  nur  fd)lagt ! 
Sb'fcn  modjre  id)  bie  ©eifier 
Slug  bem  23anne,  bcr  fie  IjcUt, 
Unb  id)  tnbdjte  ifyrem  SDJctfter 
2Bieber[d)cnfen  feme  SBelt! 
©rfjufft  Qu  barum  bod)  bie  £>elle, 
Unb  entjunbctcft  ^ein  8itf|t, 
£)afc  be«  Slet^crS  lidjte  SSelle 
(gtromenb  in  bae  2(uge  bridjt! 
5lber  etenb  liegt  jertriimmert 
5lir  mein  C>°ffen'  ^cnn^  °  f^ou, 
Reiner  OJJenfdjen  ©eift  derfitmmert 
Set  ber  ^Ttcd)t)d)aft  bunflem  ^Bau! 
^Jimrob  l)titt  ben  8eib  gefangen, 
Unb  bie  SccC  ift  ttef  gebiitft, 
£ann  bag  Sluge  8id)t  empfangen, 
SBetm  bie  ©fenfauft  eg  britrft?! 
$err,  bag  fannft  Xu  nimmcr  butben, 
ber  SSaljn  fid)  ftcgenb  blab^t, 
urn  beg  Styrannen  Sdjulben 

aI)rI)eit  untergetit! 
5)arum  ruft  ^id)  meine  (gtimnic, 

),  bie  ?icbc,  einigtid), 

r,  id)  ruf  !J)id)  nidit  jum  ©rimme, 
jur  9icttung  ruf  id)  S)id) ! 
bcr  9Jcbe  fatfdje  ©latte 
Derfittirt  fie  bcr  Xtyrann, 
fie  felber  baii'n  bie  Italic, 
So  ben  ©eift  er  fnedjten  fann! 
Unb  id)  fd)e  eg  mit  <gd)auern, 
Sie  bag  bofe  S5?erf  gelingt, 
t)b()er  ^eben  fid)  bie  Oftauern, 
Stiefer  ftetg  bie  a^enfd)b,cit  finft. 
Gluten  ficljt  fie  iljre  3Siinben, 
®od)  ^u  flagen  toagt  fie  fawn, 
£cnn  bcr  ^utb,  ift  l)tugcfd)TOunben 


—  45  — 


Hub  bte  greifyctt  nrirb  $um  £raum  ! 
©ftaoifd)  laffen  fie  gefd)el)en, 
ICajj  fie  'Dftmrob'S  ©ei^el  quaf, 
Unb  fo  lang  fie  c3  derftcfyen, 
SSlcibt  fcin  SSort  ftcts  ifjr  SSefefjt  ! 
$a,  fo  lang  fie  e3  derftefyen, 

fein  S>ort  ba^  ©flabenbanb, 
err  in  1)cinen  ^)ot)en, 

u'S  mtt  niddjt'ger  £)anb  ! 

fret  bte  aftenfdjenfeele, 


Ijallcn  bte  33efef)le 
Unoerftanben  an  ba§  O^r  ! 
ein  getftloS  Ieere§  Xonen 
X^rannen  9?ebe  fci, 

bleibet  bann  itjr  ®rol)nen, 
S)ann  ftnb  ^Detne  9J?cnfd)en  fret!"  - 
Unb  2lbral)am  fieljt  bic8  Xretben, 
'  burd)gtitl)t  fein  £>er3: 
r,  fo  fann  e§  nhnmer  bletben!" 
9tuft  er  bebenb  fytmmelroarts.  - 

V. 

)'  ein  ftmtderunrrenb  @aufen 
ber  lutlbbeiDegtcn  @d)aar? 
(Smporung  S>ellen  branfcn 
$n  bent  ^ptan  Don  @d)tnear! 
$)enn  ju  @otte§ 
!Drang 

Unb  gebrodjen  tearb  bie  $ette, 
Unb  bie  ©floocn  tourben  fret! 
3a,  gerettet  tt)arb  bte  (Seele, 
jDcnn  gefd)(offen  ift  if)r  X^or, 
Unb  e§  fallen  bte  53cfc()(e 
Unocrftanbcn  an  baS  D^r!  — 
SHiit  bem  ^errtfd)  tjartcn  SSortc 
Jreibt  ber  9>ogt  ben  @fiat>en  an, 
X)od)  Doll  ©tattnen  btetbt  ant  Orte 


-46  — 


©ngewurjett  ftarr  ber 
Savb  ber  ©djerge  geifteSirre? 
@inb  e3  SBorte,  bie  er  fprtdjt? 
grember  Saute  bunt  ©crcirre  - 
Sttfo  fprad)  fern  2?ater  ntd)t! 
(Starr  unb  fpracfjtoS,  oljne  SSttten, 

ber  @ftaoe  nod)  am  £)rt, 
beu  ^cfc^t  erfiillcn, 

ucrftcljt  er  nidjt  ba§  Sort!  - 
^  ©flaoen  ©cgenrebc, 

ba?  fremb  bem  33ogte  tb'nt, 
<5«  entfpinnt  fid)  3ungenfel)be, 
ftrcmbeS  $3ort  ba«  grembe  fjoljnt! 
Unb  ber  ©ei^ei  Sutl)  toill  bampfcn 
5)er  empbrten  (Sttaocn 
£)a  entbrcnnt  tin 
Sraufcnb  ftctgt  bie  totlbe 
@tolj  mtt  fittjnem  ^errfdjerblicfe 
@d)aut  ber  Sdjiffcr  auf  bag  OKeer, 
Senn  €§  btcneub  fcinem  ©litde 
5Rut)ig  tragt  bie  Soften  fdjrocr  - 
Slber  »enn  gu  jafjcm  ^Baumcn 
^eulenb  ber  Orfan  c*  ruft, 
SBenn  eS  gerrt  in  tntlbem  ©diautncn 
©d)tff  unb  ©eemann  in  bie  ©ruft  - 
£)a  erfa^t  ben  ©djiffer  53cben 
33or  ber  graucndoHcn  3J2ad)tr 
©ie  tin  ftoljen  Uebert)eben 
@r  ats  ©flaotn  fid)  gebadjt! 
Sllfo  fa^t  ber  btcidjc  ©d)recfen 

©djcrgcw/  tDilbcr  ©turm 
bie  SSogen,  fie  bebecfen 

Xl)rannen  unb  ben  £()urm!  - 

ber  $ned)t  I)  at  aufgertdjtct 
Unter  ^artem  ©eifcetsmang, 
SStrb  Dom  freien  2Rann  Dcrnidjtct, 
®a8  ift  ber  ©efd)id)te  ©ang  ! 
SUfo  tnarb  ber  @teg  errungen, 


—  47  — 

Unb  bie  !3ftenfd)en  nmrben  frei, 

33onb,  ba3  fie  umfd)tungen, 
auf  immer  ba  entjiuci ! 
griifyer  l)errfd)t,  im  Scltenreidje, 
2Bo  ber  2)tenfd)  ben  3ttenfd)en  fanb, 
(Sine  <2prad)'  bie  trcwte,  gleidje 
T)te  bie  £>erjen  eng  cerbanb ! 
gtne  ©pradje,  gottcrforen 
Slt^  bcr  l^iebe  Unterpfanb  - 
llnb  fie  ging  fofort  Derloren, 
Ste  ber  crftc  $rteg  entbrattnt ! 
Unb  Ci5  tljeilet  fid)  in  Xntppen, 
einft  etne  9J2enfd)()eit  war, 
uerfd)ieb'nen  ©pradjengruppen 

3iet)en  fie  au§  ©djinear! 

llnb  Slbraljam  —  ticfcrfd)iittert 
Slicft  ben  3icl)cnben  er  nad): 
M}0  tft  ba§  3)Jecr  jerfplittert, 
Unb  e3  trennt  fid)  33ad)  uut  ^Bad) ! 
©etber  fyab'  id)  e6  erbeten, 
Dod)  e^  tear  bad  8trofgerid)t 
Settling  nur  au8  Xobeenot^en, 
^(eiben  alfo  fann  e§  nid)t! 
Xaitfcnb  3un9en  fd)uf  ^'e  @»tibe, 
Unb  bie  9Kenfd)l)eit  h)arb  getljeitt, 
Surd)  ba«  SBort,  ba^  i  d)  oertunbe, 
SBerbe  nun  bcr  9tip  gel)eilt! 
3>3  Xi)rannen  bo§  beginner. 
,*pat  getfyetlt  bie  ein'ge  ©prad)', 
@tanb'    itnb    ^reifjeit  foUcn  fit^nen 
2Ba§  bie  Xt)rannei  toerbrad) ! 
Sei  ber  ^reifjeit  IjetPgem 
^Bei  be3  ®(aubcn§  Ijeljrem 
3Berb'  c^  f(ar  bent  Grbenfofyne, 
SBetdje  ©pradje  ®ott  erfdjuf. 

%n  ^ampf  unb  9?ingen, 
r  ©efd)id)te  ernftem  Spiel, 
muft  ber  @ieg  gcUngen 


—  48  — 

Unb  erreidjCt  nn'rb  bos  3tcl!"  - 
(S3  Derfyallt  ba§  luilbe  ©aufcn, 
(53  gerftrcuet  fid)  bie  (gdjaar, 
Xiefe  ©title  folgt  bem  33raufcn 
3n  bem  "Pan  Don  ©d)tnear. 


patiib  itnb  feme 

ngerfitrft,  bcr  $rieg 
£)er  f  onig  ®aotb  gog  ju 
3u  fdjii^en  mit  bcr  miidjt'gcn 
Ter  SStitcr  Srb',  ba^  Ijeil'ge 

C?r  !ampft  mit  ^ut^,  er  fdmpft  mit 
Unb  balb  ift  nun  ber  @ieg  gebradjt, 
ftolj  and)  bort  bie  $al)nen  tuetjn, 
fann  ber  geinb  nid)t  miberfteljn. 

fiel)',  ein  SInbrer  greift  i^n  an, 
£>en  er  ntd)t  Ietd)t  befiegen  famt: 
Dc^  ^ampfc«  @lutt),  ber  <2onne 
^rjcugt  in  it)m  be3  JJurftcS  Cuat. 

f,,^Q,"  ritft  er,  ,,fott  irn  ^eil'gen  f  rieg 
£)er  geinb  eutwinben  mir  beu  (2 teg; 
liin  Xropfen  au^  ber  Cuelle  rein,. 
Unb  9xui)m  unb  ®ieg,  o  ®ott,  finb  Dein!" 

£ie  Cuelte  riefelt  frifd)  nnb  liar, 
£)od)  ftcljt  baoor  ber  ^einbe  @d)aar; 
Cjg  fitt)ret  burd)  ber  (Speere  SSalb, 
Tcr  Seg  gum  SSaffer  rein  unb  fait. 

Unb  lute  ber  $bnig  fprad)  ba3  SBort, 
Ta  mad)en  3^ret  fid)  [till  t>om  Crt, 
5ie  trcnnen  fid)  fcom  ^'rieger^auf, 
Unb  nefymen  nad)  bem  Quell  ben  Sauf. 

Unb  je^t  finb  fie  bem  geinbe  na^, 
Sic  iatjer  331%  balb  l)ier,  balb  ba, 
2ie  lidjten  fid)  mit  ©djraert  unb  ©peer, 
Ten  2£eg  gum  Cuell  burd)^ 


—  49  — 


(*ine  fycilt  ben  £)elm  je^t  bar, 
Unb  fiillet  if)n  mit  SKaffer  ftar, 
Hub  nunmcljr  fampfen  fie  mit  ©litcf, 
3  Sager  fid)  juritct. 


Unb  mit  bcm  foftbaren  @ett>inn 
@ie  treten  frof)  gum  $bnig  l)in: 
,,X)a  tttmm,  o  §err,  erbeutct 
Sir  alten'^  erHcfy  mit  bcm 


"Da  tttntm  itnb  trinf  unb  werbe  ftarf, 
Unb  galjm'  mit  bciner  ©ta'rfe  SWarf, 
(Srlofet  au^<  bed  £)urfte3  ^otl), 
"Den  ©ottccfeinb,  ber  un§  bebrol)t!" 


!Der  ^onig  nimmt  ben  ,!pehn  tno')l  an, 
Unb  bftcft  bciucgt  don  -DJann  511  Ottami. 
@tatt  baR  ben  ;Xranf  jum  9)?unb  er  fitljrt- 
nun  ber  ,v)erri~ch,er  ttef  geriib,rt: 


Ibfd)e  nirf)t  be$  'DurfteS  ©tut!) 
it  meincr  §elben  eblcm  33lut'  ; 
ift  bicfc  ®.ib', 
'  baran  fid)  lab'!" 


6r  Icerte  au$  mit  S 
1)en  Xrant  Dor  (sjott  ate  Cpferguf;  - 
Unb  ajng  bann  f)in  unb  fcimpft  mit  9)?ad)t 
Unb  X)oppetfieg  bradjf  ib.m  bte  2d)Iad)t. 


bcm  Dtnan 
bes  Karattcn  JTtofes  ben  2tbrabam  aus 


wnb  ^16. 

O  ftaune  nid)t  ob  -Stetlung  unb  ob  8age, 
SBenn  I)od)  ber  9iieb'rc,  tief  ber  §ofye  ftetjt! 
!Die  Sclt/  fie  glcidiet  ganj  gcnau  ber  Sifagc, 
2Bo  Cetdjte^  ftcigt  unb  (SdjroereS  ablnan^  g:t)t. 


—  50  — 

pie  ^tttbc*  fces 

38enn  be§  SagcS  £inber  treutoS  an  bir  fyanbeln, 
3Scnn  fie  tucfifd)  ftreube  bir  in  Sdjmcrj  ticnoanbeln, 
^arre  feft  anf  ©ott  unb  fci  nid)t  forgkflommcn  — 
dimmer  fdjaben  faun  itjr  ©el)en  unb  tljr  ^ommen; 
T)ennba§©utc,mie  ba§3d)lhnme  Mctbt  ntd)t  [tcl)eu, 
®ott  iff «,  ber  bcfieljlt  fetn  ^ommcn  nnb  fein  ©efjen. 


Qtf)  lam  5ur  ©tabt  unb  badjt',  ba  ftnb  id)  fictjer 
1)od)  fanb  id)  falte  53o§t)ett  nur  unb  lutlben 
gjjan  fagt,  e3  Ijaufen  9Bb(f  unb  ^oroen  gvaufam  l)tc! 
@te  ^affen  ^rembe,  barum  nenn'  id)  —  §unbe  fie. 


Jltt  feitt 

SKctn  2icb,  was  madjt  bir  sJJott) 
!iDer  fetd)ten  X^oren  Spott? 
!Du  bift  ber  $timg  gro§; 
<2te  ftnb  ber  $ned)te  XroB- 
@ic  fallen  f)ht  ^u  §auf 
S3or  beineS  tenners  2ouf ; 
®u  lebft  ber  9cad)melt  fitnb, 
2Benn  fie  toergeffcn  finb. 


3d)  fprad)  $ur  9?ofe  an  ber  Siebften  35ruft: 
O,  fd)IicB  betn  Slug',  fonft  fdjam*  id)  mid)  ber  ?uft; 
SO^ctn  2icbd)en  fdjtummcrt,  bod)  bu  fd)auft  mid)  an, 
X)OB  id)  bcfd)amt  ben  Su§  ntdit  gebcn  fann. 
O,  fitffc  nnr,  fprad)  fie  mit  buft'gem  .^)aud); 
@ef)eimnt§  tnaljrcn  ift  ber  9io|en  -Q3raud). 
9JJein  SDuft  unb  metne  SMiitlje  fd)manben  I)in, 
93erriet^  bie  Viebe  id)  mit  fdjnobcm 


—  51  — 


tff«  f)ol)C  Gfyr',  baft  id)  ber  Wiener  betn; 
STOir  iff  8  fused  ©tittf,  baft  bu  ber  ©errfdjcr  mein. 
bit  nad)  meinem  SBUIcn  bift  ber  £err  fo  red)t, 
bcinem  2Btlfcn  (aft  mid)  fcin  ber  recite  tnedjt. 


3)cr  X^or,  ber  2tnbrer  Xucjenb  itberfie^t, 
llnb  nur  bie  Mangel  auf^iibecfen  ftrebt, 
Oft  »ie  ©efd)mctjj,  ba§  fjctfe  (gtellen  f(iet)t 
Unb  fd)tt)elgenb  nitr  Don  off  neu  Sunben  tebt. 


tnctn 

luitlft  mein  33ttd)  ?    23cr|d)one  mid)  ! 
3iid)crborgcn  I)affe  id). 
33ud)  tft  bie  ©eliebte  mein  — 
iU  nid)t  tuegqeborget  fein. 


I. 

O'd)  tterbe  bla^,  wcnn  id)  fie  fdjau, 
@ie  rbt^et  tief  fid)  bid  gur  S3rau'; 
(gd  ftromt  mein  treidjenb 
^n  tf)r  @efid)t  bie 

II. 

$(are  wirb  ctnft  bod)  getriibt, 
tSufd)t,  toa§  Ijoffenb  inir  gcliebt; 
jD'rnm  23erirrter  in  bed  £rugS  (Mctnit^I, 
Sal)r'  Dor  taufd)cnb  .f)°ffeit  betn  ©cfit^l. 
9ltf  bie  toor  un«  auf  ber  ^reubenfhtr, 
<2inb  batjingegangen 
©ott  bemtftt  bc§  graucn 
Unb  entfagcn  tft  bed  V'ebcnd  Stem'. 

£>tc?e  jttci  ©ebi^tc  gc^crcn  tent  JMtfen  Radhi  Billah,  So^n  te§  Moktadher,  aotct 
JJalif  au8  tern  ^aitfa  tet  Ubaffitcn.  Itntct  ifym  luar  bie  9Ka(^t  bc8  JTaltfentfyumS  gefunfen 
unb  bur(^  bie  Sd;ulb  fcinct  85orv3angcr  ouf  bie  etnjctnen  ©cueerneure  u&evgangcn.  Gr  felbft 
I'eging  ben  gc5)Icr,  baS  9(mt  bcS  aSejtrateS  atijufc^offcn  unb  bafut  einem  SKititair  bie  Dberauf; 
fic^t  ber  SRegieriingSangcIegenlKitcn  unter  bent  SEitfl  Emir  Alomra,  obcrfter  Sommanbant, 
ju  ufcertragen.  1)a8  jreeite  @cbtd)t  ifl  ein  23ttb  tcr  Xrcftlofigfeit  jetncr  Cage.  Gr  ftarb  329  a.  $. 


—  52  — 

m. 

£urd)  £>unfci  jteljt  mcin  Siebfrer  fyer, 
€>  fefc  bid),  greunb,  mein  £>er$  ift  fdnuer; 
£n  fommft,  mcin  Securer,  immcrbcir 
SSti  Tcadjt  unb  fiird)teft  nid)t  ®cfal)r! 

,,2Ber  fount'  mcin  £cben  ncfymen  aud)? 

£)ie  8ieb'  nafym  langft  mir  (£ccl'  nnb 

15iefe8  SSoIIStieb  ttyeilt  J.  D.  Carlyle  tntt;  er  6at  c8  »cn  David  Zamir  au8  9?ac;tafc,  bet 
tbm  3:ejt  unb  SKelobie  mtttbctlte. 

IV. 

3d)  fanntc  nie  be£  Sluge^  3-(ammengrtff, 
Si^  |cncr  9^nf  erfdjaUt:  ,,3"-  ©^iff/  $u  @d)iff !" 
@ie  fpradj  ^nm  5tb[d)tcbr  bod)  bie  Sttmme  bridjt, 
Unb,  toaS  fie  fdjludj^te,  id)  fcerftanb  e§  nid)t; 
@ic  neigte  fid),  umfafct  jum  £uffc  mid), 
<2o  fd)Iinget  3eP^r  um  ^^e  3lcftc  fid). 
@ie  !e^rt  fid)  weg  unb  fagtc  tfjranerfticft: 
„£)  fytitf  id)  nimmcr,  ntmmer  bid)  erbltcft!" 

©tefet  Sl6f^lefc8gru§  tjl  eon  Aba  Mohammed,  et  fang  ifm  tor  bem  Ralifen  Wathek, 
jftngflem  ©o^ne  Harnn  Al-Easchids  fgcji.  232  a.  §.)  Or  maite  fol^en  (Sinttud,  bap  t6m 
Wathek  feinen  SKantel  unb  100,000  liirfiemS  gab. 

V. 

(gin  fro^c6  Hug'  unb  grob 

^ft  lieber  mir  al3  Scibentanb; 

'Die  ^)iitte,  b(o§  bem 
licbcr  at«  baS  ftolje 
fung'  $amcct,  ba3  fccf  fid)  bciumt, 

5U-3  prad)tig  2JJaitIt^ier,  gotbgc^dumt; 

De3  $Bad)tf)unb3  traulid)e§  d)ebell, 

2113  Xamboitrinen  rau|d)enb  Ijell; 

Unb  mctneg  ^tammcS  fd)(id)tcr  2)?Qnn, 

2lt3  frcDdmut^'ger  ©auftumpan. 

'XiefeS  (Scbii^t  rcirb  ter  Maieuna,  loiter  beS  Dehdal  an§  bem  Stamme  Calab,  btr  na^ 
Abnlfeda  tocgen  bcr  SRein^sit  {cincS  I3iatc(te3  nnb  rccgen  ber  3^^t  feincr  "Duster  nam^aft 
wot.  "Sloi)  fe^t  jung,  ^eirat^ete  fte  ben  ffalifen  Mow'ali,  bo^  ber  ©!an}  ten  1)ama3tu8  t\- 
jefcte  t^r  bie  etnfa^en  greuben  bcr  SBufle  ntc^t.  35"  0;fu&le  aupertc  fie  im  ©cjang,  ben  fie 
liebte  nnb  ubte,  n-cnn  fie  fit^  adein  icaBntc.  Ungliicfliicr  23:tje  b.-Iaui^te  Mow.ah  (ie,  alt 
fie  oBige  Qcilcn  Jang;  er  bejog  ben  frecelmut^igen  Sauffumpan  ber  tefcten  3"'e  auf  ft^  unb  in 
feinera  3"tne  oerflieg  er  fie  »cm  Sofe.  Sie  nabm  ibrcn  SoBn  Jezid  unb  ging  nad)  Semen 
unb  tcbrte  nic^t  nad)  Tamasfua  juruif  b\A  Jezid  jum  2brone  gelangte. 


1)  ilbmarts  unb  Zlufmarts.  Jebam.  63.  (©eitc  8.) 
geneg  Don  Saerte,  33ucf)  1,  ftap.  4  er$af)It,  (5l)ilon  fyabe  311  fagen 
gepflegt:  ,,2ftan  miiffc  eine  befdjeibene  gran  mit  mafjtger  ^u^ftat- 
twig  nefymen,  bafe  man  ntdjt  ftott  einer  ©attin  etne  ^errin  ing 
befomme!" 


2)    Die  Cugc.  Sota  35.    (Seite  8.)     Stcfjnltd)  fagt 

311  9J?atI):  "Concessum  est  diabolo  interdum  vera 
dicere,  ut  mendacium  suum  rara  veritate  commendet  !  "  ,,(§3 
ift  bem  Xenfet  erlaubt  juroeUen  bte  2Bal)rl)dt  ju  fagen,  bamit  er 
ba^  ^igd^en  SBafyrfyett  feme  ^i'tge  empfef)Ie!" 


3)  Des  Aligners  Strafe.    Baba  bathra  21.     (Seite  9.) 
35  erjtifylt  Don  Siefop,  a(^  er  einft  gefragt  wurbe,  wetdjen 

©eminn  bte  Sitgner  ^aben,  ba  antioortete  er:  "Ut  eis,  etiam  cum 
vera  dicunt  fides  non  habeatur."  ,,X)a^  man  ifjnen,  felbft  loenn 
fie  SSaljrfyett  fpred)en,  ntc^t  glaubt." 

4)  Die  Cefyre.    Nedar  55  a.,  Erubin  54  a.     (©ette  9.) 
(§8  nrirb  biefer®ebanfe  aug  9£um.  21,19  n:no  "imaa  abgelettet, 
ber  Ortname  n^na  luivb  t)ier  begriffltd)  gefa^t  a(8  ,,©ef(^en{", 
luomnter  bte  ©otte§kt)re  Derftanben  lutrb:    ,,35on  ber  Sitfte  jum 
©cf^cnle."    ©ie  SBttftc  foil  Ijicr  bag  53i(b  ber  'Demutt),  ber  ^u- 
gdngltdjfett  fetn.    Der  SluSbrucf,  ber  btefeg  33tlb  crflart,  Dartrt  in 
Erub.  13  YW\  ^rni^  wbie  jeber  betritt",  in  Nedar  IpEiQ  ^intt' 
^  »bie  jebem  offcn  fteljt",  —  nn^a  p«  Wbo3  faljtge  8anb"  ift 
ebenfallg  eine  SBe^cicfjnttng  fiir  bte  SBitfte  nnb  Don  btcfem  ntmmt 
Alining,  lib.  31  c,  7,  bag  ®Ub  fitr  bcnfclben  ©cgenftanb:  "Terra 
quae  gignii  salem,  nikil  aliud  gignit,  sic  ingenia  foecunda  in 
literis,  in  caeteris  fere  rebus  non  perinde  valent."  ,,(Stn  -33oben, 
roelcfjer  @alj  eqcitgt,  brtngt  nid^tg  5tnbercg  ^erDor,  a!fo  em  ©eift 
frudjtbar  in  ber  SBiffenfdjaft,  mirb  in  anbcrn  ®tngen  nic^t  ebenfo 
Diet  taugen";  bemnact)  ware  ber  Sinn  unferer  <SteIIe:  2Ber  Don  bem 


—  54  — 

Stubium  ber  Seljve  nid)t  ticmj  unb  ausfdjliefelid)  abforbirt  wirb,  ber 
roirb  fie  nidjt  erreidjen. 

5)  ^orfdjen.  Erubin  65  a.  (Sette  9.)  QjraSmuS  2lpopl)l.  8 
erjafylt  t>on  ®copetianu3,  ber  bte  9?ad)t  fetnen  ©tubien  tnet^te,  cr 
fjabe  eincn  bem  unfrigen  aljntidjen  griedjifdjen  <£prud)  im  9)2unbe 

dv    ye    Srj.itA.Eltirov  dotpiaS 

ljr   9cad)t!    ®u  bift  bte 
l)oberm  an  ber  SSetett  ber  ©otter!" 


6)    ^eit  unb  <gelecjenfyeit.    Aboth  4,3.    (Seite  9.) 
fd),  ber  nid)t  feme  ©tiinbe  b,at;  bcr  grted^ifdje  $omifcr  fagt 
in  bemfelben  'Stnne: 

"ZZbAAouS  6  xaipoS  avdpaS  OVH  orraS  itoisl." 

W35iele  mac^t  bte  ©elegenljeit  gn  SWanttern,  bie  eS  ntd)t  loaren;" 
unb  fein  1)m^  ba3  nic^t  fetnen  Ort  Ijot;  berfclbe: 

,//2s  jue'ya  TO  j^inpov  eGrtv  £v  noapca  SoSe'vS7 

luirb  ba^  ^leine,  menn  paffenb  Ort  unb  ©eIegenl)eit.M 


7)    Bcft£furf?t.    Sota  9  a.     (Seite  10.)     2tef)nlid)  fpric^t 
fief)  ber  griedn'fdje  ^omtfer  I)tcruber  au«: 


jj.eyi<5rov  dvSpaiitoiS  KCCXOV 
'Oi  yk   ^f'AoxreS  Ttpo67i.afit.iv   rd  rcSy 
"A7torvy^dvov6i  TtoXXdxiS  nxoojusroi 
Td  8rf  I'Sia  Ttpodnveadi  roZ?  «A/lorpz'oiS.7; 


w!Dic  ^Befi^fudjt  tft  fur  ben  SWenfi^cn  bas  gro§te  Ucbcl: 
jDiejenigen,  bte  nad)  frembem  ©ute  ftreben, 
3^re  '§offnung  tiiufdjt  fie  jumctft,  unb  fie  fc|cn 
2ln  ba«  frembe  ®ut,  ba^  eigne,  wad  fie  fjaben." 


8)  Dcr  Scorer.  Baba  Mezia  33  a.  (Sctte  10.)  Die 
3fttfd)na  begriinbet  baburd)  bie  3a£ung,  ba§  man  ba3  Derlorene 
©ut  oorcrft  bem  ?el)rcr  unb  bann  bem  3Sater  ^eimbrtngcn  mitffe. 
^lutardj,  tin  l^ebcn  9llcjanber'«,  erja^t  toon  biefem,  er  fet  bem 
2lriftotclc«,  bem  er  0(3  ^nabe  jur  Grjtctjimg  anocrtraut  war,  mtt 
grower  §od)acf)tungnadigcgangcn;  ,,benn",  fagte  er,  ,,er  fyabe  tf)m 


—  55  — 

ntdjt  ttteniger  al$  feinem  23ater  ju  banfen;  bcm  23ater  oerbcutfe  er 
ben  2lnfang  feine§  &benS,  bem  &f)rer  aber  ben  Slnfang  r  e  d)  t  ju 
lebcn." 


9)    &rmut.    Baba  Kama.  95  a.  (©eite  10.)    3>r 
fagen,  baft  ba3  33etr>ufUfein  arm  $u  fein,  nicberbritrfenb  anf 

ben  3trmcn  unrft.    ginen  23er3  be^felben  ^n^alt^  Icfcu  tt)ir  bet 

bem  gvtedjifrfjctt  ^lomifer  : 

"77/30?  ait  <xv  r  a.  5ezA.oS  6  itevrjS  i6ri  Ttpa.yf.ia.ra 
Kai  TtdvraS  avrov  HaracppovElv  XafificivttP 

ffgurd)t)"am  ju  icbcnt  Unternel)men  ift  bcr  Slrmc, 
!Denn  immcr  fyalt  er  fid)  t»on  Slllen  Dcradjtet!" 


10)  Die  Kcbe  6es  Scfymerses.  Bababathra  16b.  (@.  11.) 
2Birb  abgeteitct  aud  Job.  34.  ,,3ob  fpridjt  o()nc  ^3eit)u§tfetn  unb 
feine  Sorte  ftnb  oljne  SSernunft."  $)arcwf  fagt@ott,  ib.42,:  ,, 
liabt  ntdjt  fo  ri:l;ttg  fiber  mid)  gefprodjen,  \m'e  mctn  1)icner 
(feine  3rrtt)itmer  finb  feinem  tnitben  ©djmcrjc  gttjufdjretben.)  @c= 
nefa  in  ben  ^rooerbien  fagt:  "Animo  dolenti  nihil  oportet 
credere  etiam  innocentes  cogit  mentiri  dolor!"  ,,^Dcm  trau= 
ernben  ©emitttjc  mu§  man  9Jid)tS  glaitben,  benn  felbft  ben  lln= 
fd)itlbigen  not^tgt  ber  Sd)mer^  ^itgen  ab  \u 


11)  tEifcf?genoffen.    Synhedr.    (Scite  11.)    Sir  fit^rcn 
^ier  ou$  <Senefa  (Sjift.  2  etnen  Slu^fprud)  an,  ber  biefen  ^Brand) 
red)tfertigt:     "Ante  circumspiciendum  est  cum  quibus  edas 
et  bibas,  quam  quid  edas  et  bibas."    ,,3uerft  muf^t  bu  bid)  um, 
fctjen  mit  mem  unb  bann  crft,  luaS  bu  effen  unb  trtn!eit  luirft!" 

12)  Krug  unb  Krteg.     Baba  Mezia  59  a.      (©eite  11.) 
(S^  ift  etue  traurige  ^>al)rt)cit,  ber  btcfc«  <£pridjroort  Stuebrucf  uer= 

ber  SKangel  ift  cin  gefaijrlidjer  ^cinb  be3  ^au^fricbetw. 
mirb  e§  toon  bem  9?abbtnen  an  ty'\.  14T,14  angetcljnt: 
^H  2^>n  C'frtP  ^123  Cirn   »,3n  beiner  ©renje  luatte 
grieben  —  fo  lange  be§  SSei^enS  gett  bid)  fa'ttiget." 

13)  Diebe.    Cholin  27  a.     (@cttc  11.)    (£3  rocrbcn  ba  Die 
Surfer  ui:  al^  bcfonbcri  biebifd)  bargcftellt.     Nehar  pekod  unb 


—  56  — 

Pumbadita  ftefyen  in  bcrfelbcn  Dfctfye.  ,/Benn  cincr  and  Pumba- 
dita  mil  btr  gcl)t,  bann  roeAjle  bte  Derbergc"  (bajs  cr  bid)  ntdjt 
nad)td  beftefyle);  bic  grojjte  2>irtuofita't  unit  ben  }torfern  jitgc-- 
fd)rieben,  fie  ftcfylen  bie  ,3ab,ne  aud  bcm  2)?unbe  bed  ©efiifctcfl.  - 
v)lud)  bie  Jltybier  erfreueten  fid)  bicfed  fdionen  OJufcd.  Crradmud 
fiifyrt  eine  gried)ifd)e  Otcbendart  an;  inenn  im  ^aufe  ctwag  geftot)= 
Icn  wuvbc,  bann  fagte  man:  "  Av66s  T>)V  Svpar  fVAczdc."  ,,(vin 
\.'l)ber  Ijat  bie  Xfyitre  gefd)(offen."  Seit  ber  l^bcr  nie  bic  Xbitre 
etnee  ^>aufe^  fdjlofc,  o()ne  etwaS  gefto{)len  git  I)aben.  2Iud)  bic 
3(rgtDer-n)arcit  aid  £)iebe  bcritd)tigt.  <Snibad  fittjrt  ,,argiDifdie 
£)iebe"  aid  fteb,enbe  9teben§art  an. 

14)  <5ur  Un^ett.  Jalkut.  (2cite  11.)  0o  fprtd)t  bcr 
3J?onb  ju  ©ott  nad)  feiner  JBerflctnerung:  ,,Sad  iuirb  man  mid) 
neben  ber  (Sonne  braud)en!"  Die  9?ebencart  ift  fprid)tt)6rtlid)  fiir 
etwad  llebcrfliiffiged  Tertullian  Prov.  119:  "Lucernain  in  me- 
ridie  accendere."  ,,3u  Sfttttag  eine  ^cr:;e  an^itnben."  Aposto- 

lius  pag.  125:    "Avxvor  Sx  petfiytfipfa  «/rr£z;*',  iniri)  ir  xaiptu 
dr£mrr?6ei(o  TIOIOVVT^V  n.»     ^M    gebraild)ft    am    2)Mttag    CtllC 

e",  fagt  man  Don  bencn,  bie(St»ad  guv  unpaffenben  3eit  tl)un. 


15)  Das  Ccbcn.  Jebam.  Jalkut  181  c.  (Scite  11.)  2Ut 
Prov.  6,23:  ,,Tcd  Vcbcnd  2i?cg  ift  ftrafcnbe  ^iid)tigungu  mtrb 
irgenbwo  im  -Dttbrafd)  bie  ^cmcrfnng  gchiitpft:  ^"2  n«  "~  \s 
"'j/'l  HK  I^ID"1  rr^Senn  bit  lebcn  hnllft,  lutllft  bu  'ed)inericn."  Tie 
9?td)tigfeit  biefcd  (Srfa^ningdfa^ed  irirb  ber  bei  $3citcm  grb^cre 
Xb/eit  ber  tfebenben  beftatigeu;  ber  gried)ifd)e  ^omifer  briicft  biefcn 
©ebanfen  beftimmter  aud:  ""OVK  t6n  ftiov  evpei 

^geiblofed  Seben  ift  bei  Sftemanbcm  311  finben.  " 


16)  Dterecfyten  £et?rcn.  Jebain.  Jalk.  181  c.  (Seite  1-2.) 
@d  wirb  btefcr  ©cbanfe  gefniipft  an  H.L.  7,10:nTein  ©laubcn  ift 
n)ie  ber  gute  Setn,  ber  mcinem  greunbe  gcl)t  511  9icd)t,  ber  fdjroafc* 
tjaft  mad)t  bie  i^ippen  ber  Sd)Iummernbcn."  Unter 
ftefyt  bie  5tgaba  ,,bie  i'ct)re",  unter  ,,2d)lummcrnbcn"  bic 
wber  SSdn  mad)t  bcrebt  bie  Xobtcn"  in  ifjren  2eb,ren  lebt  tb,r  ©e= 
bdd)tniR  fort,  fpriditifyr  2)Zunb  311  itnd.  5(et)nltd)  fagt  Gicero  tin 


1.  23udje  Don  ben  ^flidjten:  "Docti  non  solum  vivi  et  praesentes 
studiosos  discendi  erudiunt  atque  decent,  sed  hoc  idem 
etiam  post  mortem  rnonumentis  literarum  assequuntur." 
£)ie  ©clcfyrten  unterridjten  unb  belefyren  nidjt  nur  lebenb  unb  bie* 
{enigcn  Sernbcfliffcnen,  bte  fie  Dor  fid)  fyabcn,  fonbern  fie  tljun  ba$ 
burd)  ifyre  wiffenfdjaftltdjen  £)cnfmaler  and)  nad)  bem  £obe." 

17)  Cefyren  unb  tteben.  Jebam.  63  b.   (Seite  12.)    @o 
fprad)  matt  $u  Simon  bcu  xHfat,  ber  bie  Ijolje  2Btdjtigfeit  be^  (S^e* 
ftanbc^  I)crtiorl)ob,  felber  abcr  fetne  vSlje  cinge^en  wo  lite.    2lef)ttlirfj 
fagt  ©Citeca  Epist.  9:   "Quid  faciendum  sit  a  faciente  discen- 
dum  est!"    ,,3Ba3  man  tl)un  foil,  ba^  Icrnt  man  am  23cften  tiom 
Xljucnben!  Unb  an  ctner  anbern  \2tellc,  Epist.  35:  "Eum  elige 
doctorem  queni  magis  admireris  quum  videris  quam  quum 
audieris!"    ,,Qcn  ennal)le  btr  gum  ^et)rer,  ben  bu  mefyr  bewun= 
berft,  wcnn  bu  il)n  fie  1)  ft,  a.f3  incnn  bu  i^n  Ijb'rft!"  ber  bid)  burd) 
Xfyaten  me^r  aid  burc^  2Borte  beleljrt. 

18)  Dcr  Zladjbar.  Jebam.    (Sette  12.)   ioy  yv~\  ijij^ 
]^h  in  anbercr  gorm  Xanc^uma  unb  $aitnt  ^u  itoradj:  ,,3Bel)' 
bem  23b'fen,  welje  feinem  ^ac^bar  !  §eil  bcm  ^rommen,  feinem 
^adjbar  ^etl!"  §eftob  in  ""Epya  uai  wepai"  fagt  :  ,,So  nicl  bes 
Uebel  bietet  etn  bb'fer  ^Za^bar,  wie  otel  etn  gutcr  23ortl)eil  bietet; 
einen  2d;a^  fjat  gcfunben,  wer  eincn  gutcn  9iad)bar  fanb  \"  Bob. 
serm.  35  er$af)lt  Don  ^emtftofleg,  al^  er  einft  etn  8anbgut  Dcr^ 
faufen  tDollte,  befafyl  er  bem  2lu§rufer  f)tn$Ujitfitgen:     "on  **i 

ystrovas"   tap  er  aud)  gute  9Jad)barn  fyabe!" 
p  piy  21  10  ^3lautuS  m  feinem  Mercator4,4: 

"Nunc  ego  veruni  illud  verbum  experior  esse  vetus: 
Aliquid  mali  esse  propter  vicinum  malum  ! 

felje  id)  ein,  wie  wal)r  ba§  alte  ©pridjtuort  ift, 
ift  etwag  (Sct)ltmme^  unt  eincn  bofcn  9?ad)bar!" 


llnb  Bab.  Kain.  92: 

K213  ip^  «SM  nra 
lit  bem  !Dorn  wirb  ber  iiiirbt^  a,efd)laa,en. 


—  58  — 

19)  Dcr  Cob.  Jalkut  146  b.  (©eite  34.)    £)er  ©ebanfe, 
ber  fyier  ber  beritfymteit  33craria,  ©attin  bed  bcritlnutcn  9tabbi 
Wei?  toom  Sttibrafd)  in  ben  Oftunb  gefegt  nn'rb,  ftnbct  fid)  cifjnlid) 
Don  ^tutardj  au^tjcfprodjen:    ,r2l(fo  luie  man  erborgtes  ©clb  gerne 
unb  tnilltg  iwicbererftatten  foil,  alfo  mnjj  man  bie  Gjabe  bed  2cben^, 
bie  wir  tion  ©ott  auf  ^Borg  erljalten  fyaben,  oljne  ^lagcn  luieber 
juritcfftetlen." 

20)  DCS  IDiffens  IDertI?.    Jalkut  H,  133.     (Seite  36.) 
3le^ntid)e3  erja'ljft  S5itruDtu3  int  5.  53udjc  toon  §lnftitop.    ^icjer 
warb  nad)  einem  <Sd)tffbrud)e  ju  ben  9?I)obtcnt  toerfdjlagcn,  cr  ging 
ba  ind  ©ijmitafium,  fyteft  ba  pt)tlofopt)i|d;c  ®t^putattoncn  unb 
roarb  reidjltc^  befdjenft;  bie  ©efci[)rten,  bie  fid)  gur  §cimrcife  an* 
fdjtcften,  fragten  i()n,it»a3  er  ben  Semen  fagen  laffe :  ,,3agct  itjnen", 
ftorad)  er,  ,,fie  mod)ten  itjren  finbern  folt^e  ^3efi^t()itmer  unb  9^etfe= 
mittel  mitgeben,  iDeldje   fie  au^  au3  bem  ©du'ffbrud)e  retten 
Wnnten." 


Pon 


DR.  ADOLF  HUEBSCH. 


"He  speaks  even  if  dead. 


ic  6m 


Hebe, 
gehaltcn  am  Danffagungstage,  29.  Hopcmber,  J866. 


©etiebte  2t  n  b  a  d)  t  i  g  e !  3Btr  fyaben  un«  fjeute  f)ter  f eierlid) 
Derfammclt  t)or  bcm  2lngefid)te  unfereS  2lttoater§,  urn  ifym,  bem 
@penber  atteS  ©uten,  au§  bes  £>er3en$  £iefen  unfern  finbticb/en 
1)ant  ju  fagen,  fiir  atle  Stebe,  §ufb  unb  £mte,  btc  er  iin§  ertniefen 
tjat  tm  8aufe  btc[e^  3a()re§,  ba§  er  un§  bcfdjit^t  unb  beroaljrt  ^at 
in  un[crm  ^au§Itd)en  8eben,  ba§  cr  unS  mtt  femctn  dcitcrlidjcti 
©cgen  becjfeitet  Ijat  in  unfcrm  offcutUd)en  l^ebcn,  in  unferm  ftaat* 
Hc^en  SSirfcn !  9Bir  banfen  il)tn  am  [jeutigen  Xagc,  ba§  er  unfrc 
©table  fyat  beinaljrt  Dor  bo[en  ^Iranfljcttcn,  unfve  §eerben  dor 
@eu^en  unb  unfern  53oben  Dor  ®iirre  unb  Unfrudjtbarfeit.  Sir 
banfen  tb/m,  bajj  er  biefem  fdjonen  ttjetten  23aterlanbe  ben  Sob,t* 
ftanb,  ben  grteben  unb  bte  greitjett  ungei'd^malert  unb  unoerfiirjt, 
frif^  unb  btiit)enb  bcrao^rt  unb  erfyalten  l)at!  - 

O,  meine  ©cliebten,tt)e(d)  etn  erl)abener  unb  erfyebenber  Xag  ift 
ba§,an  ineld)em  etn  t'anb  t>on  fcd^unbbretBtg  ©tantcn  eine  53eDb'Ifc= 
rung  tton  natjcju  brct^tg  SO^Ultonen  30?cnfd)en,  burd;  §erj  unb  ©ectc 
ocretntgt,  fi(^  bent  eintgen  unb  etn^igen  ©otte  im  anbadjtigen 
©ebete  jumcnbct!  3Son  einem  fotdjcn  Xage  mu^  man  in  frommer 
Segetfterung  mit  bem  ^fatmiften  auSrufen  ,,!Diefen  Xag 
ber  ^ierr  bcfd)teben,  n)ir  iDotten  jubcln  unb 
frcuen  an  iljm!"*)  2Bof)l  finbm  mir  biefen  Xag  in  feinem 
9^eligion§budie  aid  bc[onber^  feftltd)  be^ctc^net,  fein  ^laienber  cincr 
befonberen  ©laubcnSpartet  b,cbt  feine  ^Bebcntung  bc[onber3  ^cruor; 
aber  ein  3Solf,  ba3  au§  ben  ben  Der[d)iebenftcn  33efenntniffcn 
bcfteb/t,  ba0  unter  ben  Derfdjiebcnften  gormen  fetncn  ©ott  an- 
betet  unb  uercfyrt,  e3  tjat  fid)  ermaljlt  unb  au^erlefen  btefen 
ber  feinem  angeljort,  ba§  er  2lIIen  angeb,ore,  ba§  er  um  atle 

*)Ps.  118,24, 


—  62  — 

ttofyncr  btefeS  rocitcn  23aterlanbc3  ba3  Ijctlige  33anb  ber  2?erbriu 
berung  fdjlinge,  bajj  er  fie  9l(te  oereinige  unb  einige  in  bem 
erfyabcnen  ^Beumfstfein:  „  (5  in  en  23ater  fyaben  roir  2Ule,  (Sin 
©ort  fyat  un§  erfdjaffen,  irmrunt  foil  ten  loir  lieblps  rjanbeln,  ber 
9ftann  an  feinem  33ruber!"*)  £)icfe§  ©efiih,!  ber  Slbljcingigfett 
t)on  eta  unb  berfelben  tocttrcglercnben  -Sftadjt,  bicfe  (Srfcnntnif; 
eine>3  gemctnfii)aft(td)cn  ©trebcti^  nad)  ein  unb  bemfetbcn  $\dc, 
bie[e  rein  menfdjltdjcn  ^egungcn  unb  Smpfinbimgcn,  bie  fyeute 
un[er  ,f)erj  erfuUen,  fie  finb  e§,  bie  biefcn  Xag  roeifjen  nnb  Ijctltgeu, 
fie  finb  c$,  icetdje  unfer  I)cittigc3  ©cbct  reinigcn  unb  fiebenfad) 
(autern,  ba^  e3  emporftcige  pin  ^crrn,  fitter  unb  fitljncnber  al« 
ber  fitpcftc  Seiljrcmd)  an«  ©aba,  al§  bie  buftigftcu  Urautcr  Don 
©ileab !  Gin  fotdjer  Stag  ^cigt  un3  annafyernb  ba§  ^ilb,  roie  ^err^ 
lid;  cr  it»trb  fcin,  jener  grojse  tierljct^ene  ;tag,  an  roeldjcm  fein  rotrb 
,,®ott  einsig  unb  fein  ^tame  ein^ig!"  **) 

2(ber,  mcine  ©etiebten,  n)enn  e^  aud)  nidjt  ber  ^eutige  Stag  ift, 
ber  in  ben  ©(aubenSquelleu  at§  befonbcrS  fefttid)  bcjeidjnet  it)irb, 
ba§  gansc3'uftitut,bie(5i!irid)tung  nad)  einer  gemiffen  abgclaufencn 
'periobe  eine  gett)eil)te  gcier  p  ocranftaften,  auf  ba^  fid)  ba^ 
gefammte  S3ot!  fcincnt  ©otte  in  $cbe  unb  X>anf  anfd)Ue^e,  auf  ba£ 
ba6  23olf  i:tt  9ktionatgefit^Ie  fid)  beftaile  unb  oerbinbc ;  biefe  (Sin* 
rtdjtung  ift  auf  bie  attefte  ©lanbenSquetle,  auf  bie  £>et(ige  @d)rift, 
^urit^ufutjren.  Stel)n(id)  ben  £agen  ber  ®5od)cn  folgten  in  ber 
@ott*g.cbotenen  25crf affung  Ofrae^  fcc^*  Slrbeitsjafyre  auf cinonbcr, 
ba§  ficbeute  ^al)^  &a3  <Sd)emita*  ober  ©abbatljja^r,  fdjlo§  ben 
3rjfiu§,unb  fin*  biefen  3cttabfdjlu^  eben  inar  angeorbnet  eine  gro§c 
SSerfammtung,  an  lucUijcr  tljeitnefjmen  fotltcn  bie  SOHnncr,  bie 
^rauen  unb  bie  ®inber,  jo  fclbft  bie  ftremblinge,  bie  im  Sanbc 
meilten!  auf  baft  fie,  in  baitfbarer  drtnnerung  ber  Dergangencn 
2Bob,(tt)aten,  ait8  bent  frommen  gotte^bienftlid^en  SSortrage  b.oren 
unb  Icrnen  fodtcn,  n)ie  fie  fid)  burd)  tugenb^afte§  unb  glaubige^ 
geben  ber  SBo^It^aten  be§  §errn  fitr  bie  3u!unft  witrbig  p  madjen 
Ijabcn.  *^*) 

i^affet  un§  alfo,  geliebte  §lnbad)tige,  biefcr  altcn  fyeiUgen  ©pur 
folgen.  (S§  fei  bicfe  $efte$ftunbe  fiir  un§  nidjt  nur  eine  ©tuubc 
be§  anbad)t§»otlett  ®ebere§,  fonbern  and)  eine  ©tunbe  ber 


*)Malachi  2,10.        **)Zachar.  14,0.         ***)5  Mos.  81,  10—13. 


—  63  — 

rung;  nadjbcm  un'r  fritter  bem^errn  un[er  §cr^  erfdjloffen  in  8ob 
unb  ^rete  fitr  feine  ©ttabe,  laffct  un3  nunmeljr  unfern  ©etft  cv* 
fdjliejjcn  bent  fyeUigcn  Sorte  feiner  3Jia{jtnmfl;  laffet  un«  barnad) 
ftreben  3  it  erfenucn,  lute  luir  un3  ats  treue  unb  fromme  33iirger  bie* 
fe§  <StaateS  feincr  oaterltdjen  ."pulb  unb  giir[orge  wertl)  unb 
luiirbifl  jeigen;  laffet  un§  barnad)  fudjen,  ben  3Scg  bcr  £ugenb  ju 
ermttteln  unb  ju  wanbefn,  bcnn  ,,3:ugeiib  erljcbt  cin  33off,  bcr 
91ationen  @djanbc  aber  tft  bie  @imbe!"  (Spr.  14,  34.)  @o  fet 
bcnn  bicfc^  wtd)ttge2Bort  be^3  bibltidjenSeijeitXcjt  unfrer  ^eutigen 
^3etrad)tung.  3Btr  inotlen  finben,  baf?  ber  23ot!cr  Xngenb  in  breien 
beftcljt,  roeldje  ber  ^eljrer  au§  ber  SJJifdjna*)  a(^  bte  ©runbpfeifer 
ancrfcnnet,  auf  bcncn  ber  ^Beftaub  bcr  S03e(t  beru^et  unb  btefe  finb: 
1)  Sal)i1)ett,  2)  9Jed)t  unb  3)  ftrteben. 

llnb  j)tt,  o  ,?)err,  [ei  mtt  un«  !  [cube  unS  iDetn  ^td)t  unb  3>me 
t,  1)emen  ®eift  unb  £)cine  2Baf)rb,eit.    Slmen. 


I. 

2B  a  I)  r  b,  e  i  t  . 

SBafjrfyett  tft  bcr  erfte  ©runbpfeilerr  auf  ben  fid)  ftul^et  ber 
ber  SBclt,  unb  bcr  ba  tragt  ba^  ©tiicf  unb  bie  ©rb^e  ber  ^attonen! 
SBo  fid)  bie  SScrfyaltniffe  eine§  SanbeS  auf  2Ba()i1)ett  griinben,  ba 
ftct)cn  fie  feft  unb  ftdjcr,  IDO  fie  aber  gctragen  inerben  tion  Strug 
unb  $a(fd)()cit,  ba  wanfen  fie  gar  batb  unb  ftiirjeit  jitfantmen  iibcr 
9Jad)t!  (S\5  gilt  biefer  @a^  Don  ben  poltttfdjcn  fowof)l  inic  t>cm  ben 
(^[aubcnooert)d(tniffen.  @prcd)en  luir  juerft  don  ber  SSatjrtieit  unb 
Safyrtyaftigfcit  in  ben  potitifd)cn  SScrljaltntffcn. 

©cfeijgcbung  unb  9fJegterung  finb  bte  uvicrtafjltdjen  53ebtngun= 
gen  gur  23ot)lfa()rt  unb  $um  ©ebcitjen,  ja  gum  b(o£en  53cftanbc 
eine§  33otfc§.  OI)ne  ©cfc^e  faun  c3  ^c5d)ftcn3  ungeorbncte  -33anben, 
regetlofe  §orben,  nimmcr  abcr  SSoIfer  unb  ^Jiationen  geben!  So 
9^id)t§  gebotcn  unb  berbotcn  tft,  ba  tft  and)  SlffeS  ertanbt;  two  aber 
?(((c«  erlanbt  iftr  ba  beljaU  bie  rolje  ©cinalt  bie  Dberfyanb,  ba  tft  bcr 
@dnt>ad)crc  fdju^to^  prctSgcgeben  bcr  SBtlllitr  unb  bem  33dicbcn 
be.S  ©tart'crn,  ba  tritt  gar  b.itb  bcr  traurtge  3uftan^  c^n/  ^cn  ^'c 
aJZtfcfjna  fo  trefflid)  lennjeidjnet:  ,,T)cr  (Sine  Unit  ben  Slnbern 
lebenbig  v>crfd)tingeu!"**)  £>a3  ©cfc^  rcgclt  unb  ovbnct  bie  2?er* 


*)P.  Aboth  1,18.        **)Ibid.  TIT,  2. 


—  64  — 

fjciltntffe  ber  ©taat&mgcfyorigcn,  e3  ift  ber  ©djufc  bed 
gegen  ben  <2tarfercn!  £a3  ®cfc§  abcr  bliebe  ein  tobter,  bebeiu 
tungelofer  33ud)ftabc,  nienn  c3  ba  ntdjt  ein  Crgait  ga'be,  toeldjcS 
etgena  ba^u  beftcttt  tft,  baritber  gu  tt>ad)cn,  baft  bent  @efe£e  bte 
gebiifyrenbe  ®e(tung  unb  33ead)tung  3u£f)eU  raerben,ba§  e3  in  alien 
33e3ie()ungcn  bc$  biirgcrtidjcn  2cbcn3  trcu  iinb  getmffenljaft  gcl)anb= 
{)abt  unb  geitbt  werbe,  unb  bie[c5  Ovgan  ift  bie  Sicgicrung!  ©e=< 
fe^gcbung  unb  9?egienmg  finb  Scibe  ba^u  ba,  urn  ba3  ^3cbiirfni§ 
bcS  S3olfe5  nad)  georbnctcn  3uf^n^ett  ooUfommcn  gu  befricbigen, 
urn  SBol)Ifa()i*t  unb  0IM  bed  3So(fc^  ^n  fdjul^cn  imb  511  fidjcrn!  — 
3Son  bent  35olfe  aber  gift  ber  §ittef  fd)e  Spruc^:  ,,3Senn  icf)  nidjt 
fitr  mi(^,  iuer  bann  fitr  mid)?"*)  3>m  A^onige,  aitf  feincm 
ift  ba3  ®:betf)cn  feiner  £)tynaftic,  bte  3?crgroBerung  fcincr 
jumetft  bie  crfte  2(ufgnbc,  bie  nndjfte  Sorge;  banttn 
forgt  ottc^  ein  polittfd)  rcife3  nnb  mimbtge^  25o(f  fiir  bc5  9?o(fc^ 
-Slitt^e  unb  Sluffdjtnung  am  allcrbeften  fetber  ;  barum  gef)iJrt  e-3 
ancf)  gu  ben  foftbarftcn  9?cd)teit  bc^  23o(!e3  in  feiner  fyrcitjctt  unb 
©etbftanbigfett  bie  UJZanncr  fcinc«  35crtrauen«  311  bcntfen,  unb  bie* 
jenigen  311  ®cfe£gebern  311  ennaljlen  uub  bcnicnigcn  an  bie  ®pi^e 
ber  9?egiernng  jn  ftellcn,  Don  incldjen  e3  bie  bcgriinbcte  Grmartnng 
^egtr  bas  bc-3  i^anbc3  33ol)tfa^rt  unb  bc3  SSoIfcS  ©iiicf  i()nen  erfte 
@orge  unb  l)5d)fte  2[ufga&e  fein  toerbe  !  —  J)a  nun  bet  biefem  1)0^- 
tt)td)tigcn  2tfter  bet  ber  2(u3itbung  feinc^  fouocraincn  9^ed)te«,  bet 
ber  (Srncnnung  fitr  ©:fct3gcbung  unb  9tcgicrung,  ift  e3  juerft  unb 
junac^ft  bie  SSa()r()cit  nnb  Safjrljaftigfeit,  bie  bct§  23o(f  tm  3luge 
be^alten  unb  tm  £>eqen  Ijcgcit  mu§,  menn  bie  Saljl  »om  gewitnfd)= 
ten  (Srfolgc  gefroat  fcin  foil!  SBa^r^ett  oon  ber  ein  en  unb 
2Bah,rI)afttgfeit  bon  ber  anbern  Scite!  T)er  SSa'I)ler  fei  fic^ 
beffen  bciuu^t,  bap  mit  bcm  $3aI)Ircd)te  bie  (gntfd)eibung  iiber  baS 
2Bot)l  bc§  ganbcd  gum  Xfjcit  tit  feme  §anb  gclcgt  tft  unb  barum 
mufc  aui^  feine  Safjl,  feme  toon  niebern  fefbftfitcfjtigen  3ftottDen, 
bte  tnaljre  Sleuperung  feiner  tnnerftcn  ©cfinnung,  ber  unocrfalfdjte 
3lu§brucf  feiner  treuen  llcber;cugung  fcin.  ©ollcn  luir  burd)  3tu§* 
i'tbung  unferer  bitrgertidjcn  9?ed)te  ba3  2BoI)I  be5  I'anbcs,  baS  ©litct 
bcr9J?itbnrger  forbern,  bann  mu§  bte  Sa^rfjeit  unfer  Settftern  fein 
auf  biefer  ^3a()n  !  —  2(n  ben  Snua^tten  fjtnwteber  tft  e3,  fid)  3n  be* 


*)Ibid.  I,  14. 


—  65  — 

rotifyren  a(3  bie  Scanner  ber  SBaljrfjafttgfeit.  £)a$  ©liid  bc3  SanbeS 
fatten  bie  33itrger  tin  Singe  bet  iljrer  $crufung,  ba3  (Sjliicf  bc3 
foil  ba3  I)b'd)fte  3tel  iljrcS  otrebenS  fein,  in  ber  (SrfiiUung 
23ernfe3,  in  ber  3lu3itbung  ifyreS  SlmieS!  2Bal)rf)dt  ift  ein 
©runbpfeiler  ber  Sett,  2Bat)rb,ctt3licbe  in  ber  ^oliti!  ift  ein  ©rimb* 
pfeiler  ber  ftaatlidjen  2Bol)lfal)rt;  unb  toenn  nrir  fyeute  t)icr  tier^ 
fammelt  finb  Dor  bcm  ^crrtt,  um  i^m  unfern  3)anf  ;ju  fagcn  fitr  bie 
Srfolge,  bie  unr  tm  i7aufe  bicfcg  3fafpt6  mtt  fctncr  ^iitfe  auf  bem 
^)olitifd)en©ebiete  errungen  Ijaben,  bann  ritfet  un^  fein  IjeiligSBort 
entgegen:  ,,£ugenb  ed)ebt  ein  33otf!"  (Soil ba3 SSolf  bkiben auf 
ber  f)ol)e  feinc^  3lnfet)eng  unb  ^Bo^Iftanbeg,  bonn  muJ3  bie  Xugcnb 
e§  Ijatten,  bie  erfte  £ugenb  etnc^  freiett  fetbftanbigeit  SSoIfe^,  bie 
Sa^r^eitSlicbc !  £)a§  amert!anifrf)e  3Solf  ift  fo  gtitcfttd),  ba^  ^olt- 
tifd)  reiffte  unb  munbigfte  SSotf  ber  (Srbe  ju  fein,  fo  forge  e§  benn 
and)  ttor  2lUem,  ba^  bie  ©runbfaule  feincr  53Iutl)e,  bie  potitifrf)e 
Sa^r^eit^Uebc,  feft  unb  aufrc^t  bcttaljrt  unb  ertjatten  b(etbe! 

llnb  feft  unb  auf  red)  t  tnufc  ben)ab,rt  unb  erljalten  blciben  bie 
Saljr^eitsltebe  auf  bem  ©ebtete  be§  ©laubens!  —  2Ba3 
^at  benn,  fo  tnerbet  ib,r  fragen,  unfer  ©taat  unb  feine  polttifdje 
(gtnrtcb/tung  mit  bcm  ©cbtete  be§  ©laubenS  ^u  fdjaffen  ?  9Atn 
loir  bod)  in  etnem  Sanbe,  mo  @taat  unb  $ircfye  Don  einanber  ge* 
fdn'eben  finb,  too  ber  fdjone  ©runbfafc  ^errfd^t:  ©ie  freie 
^irdje  im  freien  <3  t  a  a  t  e !  ^Bte  atfo  twa're  bie  SKatjr* 
^eitsliebe  auf  glaubtgem©ebtete  ein  ©runbpfeiler  imfcrer  ftaat(id)en 
3Bol)(faI)rt?  —  £)arauf  antworte  ic^  (Sudj:  <g$  ift,  meine  ©ettebten, 
ein  grower  unb  fdjirerer  ^rrtljum,  inenn  man  glaubt,  es  tonne 
je  einen  ©taat  geben,  bem  ntc^t  Diet  baron  licgen  mufe,  jeine  2lnge* 
tjorigeu  religion  unb  glaubig  Ijerangebilbct  git  feljcn;  ift  bod)  bie 
(Sinfdja'rfung  ber  ^3fltd)ten,  lueldje  ber  SBiirger  I)at  gegcn  ben  @taat, 
ein  lr»id)tiger  Xl)ctt  ber  (SttaubcnSlefyre !  llnb  ber  ^oUttidj-religiofe 
^ciertag,  ben  im'r  l)eute  begel)cnf  ber  »otn  ^5rafibenten  bc<5  frcieftcn 
£l)eite§  ber  Srbe  angeorbnet  U)urbe,  beweifet  un§  gur  ©cuitge,  ba§ 
aud)  ber  2)iann  an  ber  @pi£e  unferer  9?egierung  Don  bem  ©cbanfcn 
burc^brungen  ift,  i  n  n  i  g  e  ©  I  a  u  b  i  g  f  e  i  t  ber  53  it  r  g  e  r 
forbertbie28ol)lfaf)rtbeS(Staote8!  SDte^oUttt 
fanu  ben  ©I  an  ben  ntmmermeljr  mtt  ©Iddjgitlttgfeit  anfefyen, 
fie  mu§  barnad)  ftreben,  if)n  ju  erb.alten  unb  gu  Ijcbcn.  Slbcr  bie 
mu§  c$  auc^  ID  a  I)  r  unb  a  u  f  r  i  d)  t  i  g  mtt  bem  ©taubeu 


—  66  — 

rncincn,  fonft  &erfeb,rt  fie  ben  b,bd)ften  Segen  jum 
gtuctie! 

SStidet  bod)  b,itt  auf  jene  <Staaten,  in  roc(d)en  bie  ^Solitif  ben 
©tauben  gleid)fam  in  £ienft  unb  (golb  gcnommen  fyat,  ba  toirb 
geiDbfmlid)  eine  Birdie  jur  I)errfd)enben  erfjobcn;  ber  @taat 
gibt  tfyr  ^rioitegien  unb  23oqug§red)te,  al3  toenn  fid)  eine  ®lau- 
ben$tt>af)rf)eit  ebenfo  patentiren  Iie£e,  trie  eine  inbuftricfle  Grrfin* 
bung !  $reilid)  finft  and)  in  foldjen  ©taaten  ber  ©(aubc  fyerab  gur 
^nbitftrte,  gur  feilen  Sol)Ibienerei !  giir  bie  SSortb.cife,  n>c(d)e  bie 
prtDtlegtrtc  ^ird)e  corn  ©taate  bejictjt,  fdllt  itjr  bie  2(ufgabe  gu,  alle 
SO^a^regetn  ber  9ffegterung,  unb  lutiren  e5  aud)  bie  un^mccfmci^igften, 
bie  t)crfef)rteften  unb  fd)(ed)teften,  mit  bent  9?tmbu3  bcS  §et(igen= 
fd)ein§  $u  umgeben;  jebeS  fetbftanbige  Lenten  unb  UrtfjeUcn  im 
33olfe  ju  untcrbrittfen  unb  mit  bent  X)uft  be3  SSeib,raud)Sr  ber  am 
5lltare  auffteigr,  bie  gefunbe  33ernunft  ju  betauben  unb  3U  umne* 
beln!  ^d)  fetbcr  t)atte  in  frii^ercn  3a^jien  ©e(egenliett  mit  anju- 
^oren,  h)ie  in  einem  alten  Staate  ber  alien  S)e(t  ber  prioilegirte 
Wiener  einer  priDtlegirten  ^irdje  ben  £)e£poti3mu§,  ben  SertJilt^ 
mu§  unb  anbern  potttifdjen  ^onf en§,  burd)  ben  e  i  n  c  n  neutefta= 
mentartfdjen  <Salj  t)ertb,eibigte:  ,,©cbet  bent  $atfer,  h)a§  bc§ 
fi'atfcr*  ift  unb  ®ott,  n)a«  ®otte§  ift!"  ^d)  fonnte  mid)  ber  33c* 
merfung  ntdjt  entb.alten:  ,,?Iber  biefer  OJJann  tb,ut  ja  metjr,  er  gibt 
ja  bent  ^aifer  aud)  h>a§  ©otte^  ift,  er  madjt  ja  aud  bent  @(auben 
ein  bienftbareg  3Serf'5eug  in  ber  ^anb  be§  S)e*poti«mu?!"  ®arauf 
nun  toarb  mir  bie  treffcnbe  Slntroort:  ,,28arum  foil  er  nid)t  bent 
£aifer  geben,  \va$  ©otte3  ift,  bafitr  gibt  ©ott  tb,m  tt)ae  be§  fiaiferS 
ift!"  ©ott  unb  $aifer  arbeitcn  einanber  ba  in  bie  ^a'nbe,  unb  i()r 
©efellfd)aftst)errrag  ^ei^t  —  £onforbat!  3Sa§  h)irb  abcr  in  foldjcn 
^taaten  auS  bent  ©lauben?  etiua  ber  3Scg  $um  §eile?  etma  ba^ 
3J2ittct  jur  5lufflarung  beS  ©eifte^,  ^ur  23creb(ung  bc^  ^er.jenS,  ,^ur 
Slarung  unb  £a'uterung  bc§  ganjen  i^ienfdjen?  9?ein!  .^n  fo(d)cn 
Staatcn  irirb  ber  ©taube  mijjbraudjt  a(^  3roatigqarfe  fiir 
at§  ®aumfd)raube  fiir  baS  ©efut)I,  a(^  bammenbcS 
toeldjeS  freuent(id)  ber  freien  (Sntinitfclung  be3  3Kenfd)en  entgegcn^ 
gefe^trctrb;  in  fotd)en  Stctaten  tt)ad)ft  au«  ber  Ijciligen  <Saat  be§ 
©laubenS  ttidjt  etina  bie  fiijje  gntdjt  ber  Siebe  unb  (Stntrad)t  em* 
por,  ba  nnrb  Dietme^r  ber  ©taube  junt  giftigcn  X^radjenjafjn, 
auf  iDcIdicm  tjcrtiorftcigt  ber  geljarnifdjte  30?ann  bc3  2treitc6  unb 


—  6t  — 
beg  ,!paberg  jimfdjcn  Siirger  imb  burger,  jinti'rfjcn  33ruber  unb 


SBic  ganj  anberg  ift  eg  fyier  bet  nng  in  biefem  fdjonen  gefegneten 
£anbe!  $)er  Staat  mafeet  [id)  nicfyt  an,  beit  tfycologen  ©d)iebgrid)ter 
abgcben  ^u  wolfen  gnrifdjen  23efenntnift  unb  33efenntnttj  !  T)ie 
$8af)rl)citgliebe  auf  bent  polittfdjen  ©cbiete  macfjt  eg  il)tn  nid)t 
notfyroenbig,  ou§  bem  ©laitben  ben  ftieiten  ©erfmantel  ju  macfyen, 
ber  bie  ©ebrec^en  unb  Rafter  feiner  ^olttif  frf)onenb  unb  befcfybni* 
genb  bebecfe  unb  tter^itlle!  (gr  lutlt  ben  ©tauben  al^  lebenbige 
Quctle  ber  ®etfte8=  unb  ^er^en^bitbung  !  6r  mill  ben  ©lauben  ein* 
gig  al§  erl)abene^  2ftittel  jur  SSercbelung  be^  a)?enf(^en,  er  mill  oen 
©taubett  al§  bie  Ijeilige  SBeilje  bc^  feften  23cmbe$  ber  ftaatlidjen 
SBcrbriibcrung  —  unb  barum  la§t  cr  bie  berfcfjiebenen  53efenntniffe 
ruljig  unb  frieblii^  ben  28eg  il)rcr  ^ntwicfelimg  neben  einanber 
gel)enr  barum  mac^t  er  feine  primlegirte,  feine  l)err[^cnbe  ^irc^e  — 
bie  redjte  SSaljrljeit,  fie  fitljrt  il)r  ^riDilegium  Don  ©ott,  fie  der* 
fcfjafft  fic^  @ieg  unb  £>errfcf)aft  bitrd)  fid)  felbft!  Unb  eben  roetl 
i)ier  bag  8id)t  nid)t  gemattfant  unter  bent  <2"d)effel  geh^alten  rcirb, 
barum  regt  unb  bctnegt,  ^ebt  unb  lautert  fid)  aud)  ber  ©laube  in 
biefem  Sanbe  meljr  al§  in  trgenb  etnem  i^anbe  ber  (grbe,  toaS  er 
geugt,  ift  ttt(i)t  bie  bunfle  aKt^geftoft  be^  ^anattSmu^  —  feine 
fegenreicfje  ^rucfjt  ift  £iebe  unb  (iintradjt  —  unb  ttenn  tt)ir  Ijeute 
Dcrfammelt  finb  t)or  bem  .^)errn,  um  tl)m  ju  banlen  bafitr,  ba^ 
unfcre  ©laubenSanftalten  im  abgelanfenen  ^aljre  an  33lu  tfye  unb 
©ebci^cn  gewonnen  l)aben,  ba  rufet  un§  fein  Ijeilig  28ort  entgegen: 
^Xugenb  erl)ebt  ein  23olf!"  3ur  ^ugenb  eine^  33olfe§  gefyort  in 
crftcr  9?eil)e  bie  23al)rl)eit3liebe  anf  bem  ©cbtete  be§  ©laubens! 
pallet  fie  feft  unb  aufreofyt,  fie  ift  ein  ©runbpfeiler  ber 
unb  beS  8cgen3  Gttred  ^anbeg! 

IL 


©runbpfeiler,  auf  ben  fidi  ftitfeet  ber  53au  ber  Selt 
unb  ber  ba  trcigt  ba§  ©liicf  unb  bie  ©rdjje  ber  9tationcn,  ift  bag 
9Jed)t!  ©c^on  iit  feinem  engften  Scgriffe  tuie  erfyabcn  unb  Ijeilig 
ift  biefeg  Sort!  9?cd)t  ift  ber  gegriinbete  Slnfprnd)  auf  benjenigen 
jf  ber  ung  Don  91atur  aug  gebitfjrt,  ben  ung  ®ott  bet  unferm 


—  68  — 

(Jrintrttte  in  bie  2BeIt  a(3  unfer  (Sigentfyutn  jufdjrcibt  unb  .jufidjert, 
unb  9?ed)t  ift  aud)  bte  genriffenfyafte  33efriebigung  btefc3  gegrimbe- 
tett  2lnfprurf)e*,  bie  Dolie  ©erctcifyrung  beffen,  n>a3  u>ir  Don  9?atur 
au3  eignen  unb  be]i£eit  follen!  9?ur  con  etncr  foldjen  ©taatSoer* 
faffung  fann  nun  fagen,  fie  fei  auf  3ted)t  bafirt,  foenn  fie  bie 
gegrimbeten  2lnfpriid)e  aller  ifyrer  2(ngel)origen  gtetdjmaBtg  bcri'td* 
ftd)ttgt,  tnenn  fie  jebem  53iirger  ben  Xfyett  an  ©Utrf,  ber  itjm 
gebiiljrt  iiub  ^ufommt,  Dott  unb  unoerfiirjt  jumifet!  X)er  ©toat 
aber  ift  cine  grope  £wuSl)altung.  jDte  Slnge^ortgen  bc3  ©taate§, 
fie  finb  bte  $inber  be^  §oufe^;  in  ein  unb  bemfelben  ^auj'e  aber 
Ijaben  atte  ^linber  beffctben  ben  gleidjcn  $nfprud)  auf  ba^  gletc^e 
Sffedit.  £>te  ©efe^e  einc^  (Staate^  fbnnen  nimmermctjr  ent[pred)en 
bcm  er^abenen  D^ec^te,  roeldjed  ©ott  ber  §err  jegltd)eni  ©taubge- 
borenen  tiertci^et  al^  ®e(eit§brief  burd)  ba^  8eben,  inenn  biefe 
©efe^e  einen  llnterfd)teb  fennen  gmifdjen  D^enfd)  unb  OJJcnfdjen ! 
lluterf^eiben  foil  Ia3  ©e[e^  jwifc^en  bem  SSiirbtgcn  unb  Un= 
witrbigen,  jiDifc^eu  bem  ©uten  unb  bem  ^Bbfen,  gurifdjen  bem  Un- 
fdjulbigen  uitb  bem  <3d)ulbigcn,  aber  nimmerme^r  erfenne  e3  einen 
Unterfdjicb  jinifc^en  ben  Slbamdfbljnen  in  gotge  ciner  fogenannten 
abeltgen  ober  unabeligen  ©eburt,  in  gofge  ciner  i>ellern  ober 
bunflern  garbe,  in  gotge  fctner  Slnge^brigleit  gu  biefem  ober  ju 
ienem  ©lauben!  n^inber  feib  il)r  bem  droigen  @urem  ©ott!"*) 
jDa§  ift  ber  Ijofje  2lbef,ben  jegltc^er  Don  un§  mitbringt  auf  bte  Selt; 
baS  ift  bie  Urfarbe  ber  SDienfdjenfeele,  ob  fie  in  einem  toeijjeit  ober 
in  einem  fc^wargen  &eibe  toofjnt;  ba^  ift  ber  gleicfye  ©laube,  ber 
jebem  9JJenfd)en  tn'S  tieffte  3fnnere  be^  ^er^en^  eingefdjncben  ift, 
unb  barum  wfofl  feine  ${iiftung  unb  Spaltung  unter  cud) 
fycrrfdjen!"**)  Darum  watte  nimmer  im  3taat^gefe^e  eine  £Iaf* 
fenttjettung  nad)  ©eburt,  garbe  ober  ©lauben,  fonft  iDtrb,  urn 
cm  SSortfpiel  be$  ^ropb,eten  gu  gebrau^en,  ,,ba§  9?edjt  3Uin 
uub  bie©ered)tigfett  3um  ^tmmelfd)reienben  llnredite  !"***) 

bod)  l)tn  auf  jene  @taaten,  lr>o  nod)  egtypttfdje 
einer  cg^ptifc^cn  $aftcntf)ei(ung  auf  ben  gefellf(^aftlid)en. 
ntffen  laftet,  mo  bie  unnaturltd)e  ©djetbung  gwifdjcn  bcn 
ftnbern  Ujrcn  SluSbrucf  finbet,  au<^  nod)  in  ber  ©efe^gebun;],  unb 
wenn  ba  ntc^t  me^r,  fo  bod)  in  ber  toarteitfdjen  5lu^Icgung  unb 


»,5  Mos.  14,  1.     **)lbid.  vergleiche  Jalkut  z.  St.    ***)Jes.  6,7. 


—  69  — 

|>anbl)abung  ber  ©efefce;  tto  ©eburt  unb  ©laube  nod)  immer  Dor- 
erft  in  9kd)mmg  gc^ogen  tnerbcn,  el)e  man  bcm  SBerbienfte  feine 
gebitfyrenbe  Stclle  anttttfet,lDO  man  an  ben  gegrimbeten  2tnfpritd)cn 
bcr  ^Burger  mafclt  unb  feitfd)t,nio  man  9?ed)te  Derleifyct,  ftatt  ba§ 
eine  nnb  Do  He  9?ed)t  ju  gerociljren!  Bonnet  $l)r  Don  foldjcn 
Staaten  fagen,  ,,baj}  bie  Sugenb  fie  crfycbc,"  ba§  fie  groj}  baftcljen 
burd)  iljr  9fed)t3gefitl)l?  2ftiiffet  3l)r  wd)t  melme^r  amnenben 
anf  fie  ben  .^weiten  £I)eU  unfcrc3  Xeytoerfc^:  ,,5d)mad)  ift  ber 
s)2attonen  ©iinbe!"  ©taaten,  bic  im  ^idjte  be§  neun^etjntcn  3al)i'= 
IjunbertS  nod)  an  foldjcn  ®cbrcd)cn  leibcn,  lual)r(id)  fie  ftctjcn  ntdjt 
auf  bcr  f)of)e  ber  gelt,  fie  finb  oietme^r  ,,ba§  33otf,  bag  ba  wonbclt 
tm  ginftcrn/'  ju  bent  ba^  wa^re  9?ed)t  nod)  nidjt  DoUen  3u9an9 
gcfunben  tjat! 

07ad)  einem  foldjen  ^inbltde  miiffet  Sfy,  Scwo^ncr  unb  3tnge; 
fjorige  biefe^  ©taatenuerbanbe^,  miiffet  Qfyr  (Sud)  nidjt  breifad) 
gtitcf(id)  prctfen  unb  miiffet  $l)r  nidjt  au«  Dollem  §ersett  ben  §errn 
lobcn,  baft  3t)r  in  einem  8anbe  lebet,  IDO  bie  9^ed)tgibee  in  ifjrem 
gan^eit  erljabencit  Umfangc  au^mad)t  bie  ©nmblage  ber  Staat^oer- 
faffung  unb  be3  ftaat(id)en  ^eben<? ! 

Sill  man,  meine  ©eliebten,  eine  griinblidje  Ginfidjt  gcwinnen 
in  bie  9?ed)t3anfd;auimg  eine^  @taate§,  bann  mu^  man  bie  Chit- 
ftel)ung^gcfd)id)te  feiner  ^rtcge  Icfen.  ^Der  ^Irieg  foil  ja  nid)t« 
fcin,  al§  eine  23ertl)eibigung  be§  gefrcin!tcu  9?ed)te§,  at3  bie 
eine^  gefatjrbeten  ^rin^ipS;  unb  fo  fel)r  ber  $rieg  gu 
ben  Uebctn  gefjort,  tt)e(d)e  unter  ben  9Jtenfd)en  im'ttljen,  fo  ift  er  bod) 
ju  bttltgcn  unb  ^u  lobcn,  rocnn  bie  ^eilige  Qbet  be^  0Jcd)te§  bie 
©treiter  rufct  in  bie  2d)tad)t !  5Jimmcr  ^u  ent'"d)ulbigen,  fonbern 
gdnjlid)  ju  oerbammcn  aber  ift  er,  wenn  bie  rotje  ©euwit  mit  bem 
©feu  in  bcr  ftauft  eitt  Unrcd)t  burdjfitljren  tt>ill! 

3lud)  nad)  biefer  0?id)tuug  fyin  tnie  bcfricbigcnb  unb  erljebenb 
roirb  fitr  un§  ein  23crg(cid)  jmifd)en  biefcm  i^anbe  unb  anbern 
©taaten!  SBie  ffar  unb  unjmeifel^aft  fallt  ein  foldjer  S3ergleid)  ju 
unfern  ©unften  au§ ! 

3l)r  Stile,  meine  ©eliebten,  fennet  bie  fdnueren  (Sreigniffe,  lucldie 
im  le^ten  ^afyre  ben  Continent  jcnfeits  bc§  OjcanS  l)eimfnd)tcn  unb 
erfd)iitterten.  ^Ijr  un'ffet,  wie  ba  Sruberftamme  im  feinblid)cn 
^ampfc  gcgett  einanbcr  im"tt!)ctcn.  9ttenfd)eulebcn  imirbcn  ge* 
opfcrt,  ^amilien  uwrbcn  elenb  gemad)t,  ©tabte  wurben  cerljeert 


—  70  — 

unb  derwiiftct,  ber  SBofjtftanb  ganger  Sanber  ttmrbe  fitr 
fjtnaud  tiernicfyter,  unb  roarum  unb  luofiir  nmrben  fie  Ijeraufbe* 
fdjrooren,  bie  furcfjtbaren  Sdjrecfcii  unb  ^tagen  bed  $riegcd?  2£ar 
etina  ein  erfyabened  ^rinjtp  gefafyrbet?  SSar  ein  fjeitigcd  3ied)t  ge= 
franft  unb  angegriffm  roorben?  $einedir>cgd !  (Sincm  ftrcbfameu 
geleljrten  @taate  war  plofclid)  fein  $leib  ju  enge  unb  bie  Xraginctte 
fetner  <S^tc§gen)ef)re  gu  ftieit  gciuorben,  unb  ba§  geniigte,  um  etne 
ganje  SSelt  in  ©Icnb  unb  jammer  gu  ftiiqen!  ©a3  mar  9?cd)t£* 
titct  genug,bte©eifect  bes£riege^  ju  fdjiDingen  unb  nieberfaufen  ju 
taffcn ! 

^altet  bagegen  bie  $riege,  melc^e  bie  ©efc^idite  biefeS  i>anbe§ 
aufjuweifen  l)at:  $fy  mill  fdjiucigcn  tton  ben  ^eitigcu  ^ampfen 
bie  fyier  au^gefodjten  wurbcn,  um  ba3  $ot$  ber  grcmbt)crri"d)aft 
ab^ufdjittteln,  um  ba3  tljeuerfte  ©ut  be§  Sftenfcfycn,  bie  grcit^cit, 
gu  erringen;  fo  gtorrcid)  bicfe  Siimpfe  niaren,  id)  luili  je^t  nidjt 
fprcd)cn  Don  ifynen,  fie  gcljbrcn  bcrcit'S  ctncr  altern  25crgangenl)eit 
an;  aber  e§  tjaben  bie  tc^ten  ^aljre  bie  Slnnaten  biefes  8anbe^  um 
ein  33latt  bcreid^ert,  tcctdje^  immcrbar  bteibcn  luirb  cine  3'^'be  fitr 
bie  ©efd)id)te  ber  3Jienfd)^ctt  unb  ber  —  SiDtotfd)lid)feit,  id)  nteine 
na'mlirf)  ben  ^rieg  bed  9lorben^  gegen  ben  ©itbcn!  31uc^  ba 
ttJeitbeten  fii^  53ruberftamme  gegen  Sruberfta'mme,  aud)  ba  wiit^ete 
ein  ^ampf,  nne  if)n  in  foldjer  ^eftigfeit  unb  2lu3beb,nung  bie  ©e= 
fc^idjte  nur  feltcn,  ober  oiellcidit  gar  nic  aufjUlueifen  ^at. 
I)od)ften  Cpfer  an  ®ut  unb  3JZen[d)en  tuurben  gebracljt, 
gegen  2lUe§  raurbe  eingefe^t,  ,,Sicg  ober  Untergang!"  bad  uwr  bie 
Sofung,  unb  marum  unb  tnofitr?  (Stwa  um  ©ebietdanwadid  unb 
^3ercid)crung?  (gtwa  um  matcrictle  (grobcrung?  9?ein!  in  bem 
lidjtcn  ©taateleben  biefed  Sanbcd  gab  ed  eiiten  bunfeln  gtctf,  ,,int 
8anbe  bed  9?ed)ted  gab  ed  ein  tjimmclfdjrcienbed  Unrcdjt!"  *)  cd  gab 
<SHaoen  im  \?anbe  ber  greitjcit,  ,,eine  Sdjmad)  fitr  bie  Nation  irar 
bicfed  Rafter!"  £)ieje  Sdjmad),  fie  folltc  abgeroafdjcn  roerbcn,  unb 
mare  ed  aud)  burd)  ein  OJJeer  Don  —  23tut!  liefer  firtcg  cr  tear 
ein  gerecijter  unb  liciltgeivunternommcn  tunrbe  er  jur^Bertljeioigung 
bed  i)J?cnfd)cnred)td,  gcfitl)rt  nwrbe  er  mit  bcm  ^)elbenmutt)e  ber 
treucn  Ueber^eugung  unb  becnbigt  nutrbe  er  mit  bem  Iob,nenben 
33enmBt|"ein,  bap  ber  J)ienft,  tt>elc^er  ber  2Jienfd)^eit  ertoiefen 

*)Jes.  25,10. 


—  71  — 

tourbe,  reidjHd)  aufmog  bic  Dpfer,  roddje  er  foftcte !  —  33ergteid)t 
men  biefen  l)cUigen$rieg  mit  bem  Ie£ten(5roberung3friege  Don  Jen* 
feits  bctf  Oceans,  tDaljrlid)  bann  faun  man  fid)  bes@ebanfen3  nid)t 
ertoeljrcn:  ,,£>ort  britben  (agent  nod)  [tar!  bie  bunfeln  ©fatten  be3 
2JJittetattcr§,  bort  b,errfd)t  nod)  mit  eiferner  gauft  bcr  rolje  @a£: 
,,®etoalt  get)t  Dor  9?ed)t!"  umfyrenb  matt  Don  unferm  Sanbe  nad) 
feinem  $ricge  ben  SluSbrucf  anwcnbcn  fann,  ttddjen  ber  ^ropt)et 
fitr  ba§  wicbcrgctaiiterte  3;eru[a(em  gcbraud)t,  ,,©taat  ber  ®ered> 
tig!cit,  ^3itvg  ber  £reuc!"*)  !Druben,  wo  bie  (Sematt  gelampft, 
gefiegt  nnb  ben  ^rieben  btftirt  Ijat,  ba  ift  btefer  ^riebe  etn  fanter 
nnb  un^altbarer,  benn  bie  Stitfce,  auf  tt>cld)cr  er.  ru^ct,  fie  I)at  feine 
Xragfraft  auf  bie  Waiter,  waljrcnb  ber  5l'icbe,  beffen  fid)  biefe^ 
l^anb  nad)  feinem  ^ampfe  crfreut,  ein  fefter  nnb  fidjerer  tft,  benn  er 
wirb  getragen  Don  bem  jiueiten  ©runbpfeilcr  ber  SSelt!  Unb  luenn 
ttir  t)eute  l)ter  Derfammelt  finb,  urn  bem  §errn  511  banfen  fitr  bie 
e  nad)  bem  Slampfe,  fitr  ben  grieben  nad)  bem  Uriege,  ba  rufet 
imebcr  fctn  t)eilige§  5Bort  mal)nenb  gn:  ,,Xugenb  erl)ebt  ein 
lIt  <)l)r  @nd)  bef)anpten  anf  ber  .'pblje,  bie  ^)r  errnngen 
nnb  crfdjumngen  b,abet,  bann  mitffet  $l)r  fcftljatten  an  bem  ®eban= 
fen,  ber  (Surer  ©taatSDerfaffung  ju  ©runbe  Uegt,bann  mitffet  3^ 
burd)fitl)ren  bie  3^ee,  bie  (gad)  begeiftert  l)at  in  (Surcn  ^ampfen; 
"jur  £ugcnb  eine^  33olfe§  gel)6rt  bie  sJf ed)tstiebe !  §a(tet  fie 
feft  unb  aufredjt,  benn  fie  tft  ein  ©rimbpfctter  ber  SKob.tfa^rt 
unb  be^  ©egen^  in  (Eurem  Sanbc! 

m 

Srieben. 

llnb  ber  britte  ®runbpfei(er,  auf  ben  fid)  ftiifcet  ber  ^Bau  ber 
5Bett,  unb  bcr  ba  tra'gt  baS  ©Utcf  unb  bie  ©rofee  ber  S'iationen,  bag 
ift  ber  Ijeiltge  ^rteben.  ,,Sie  gut  unb  n)te  liebltd)  ift  e8,  wenn 
freunblid)  bcifammcn  iDoljnen!"  **)  alfo  finget  berfromme 
im  ^ciligcn  8iebe,  alfo  rufe  id)  (5ud)  ^u  in  biefcr  I)eiligen 
(Stunbe!  (Sctjt  alk  bie  ©egnungen,  fitr  t»eld)c  ttiir  fjeute  unferm 
®otte  banfen:  bie  reidjc  Grate,  ber  matericlle  iKoljIftanb,  bie  Grfotge 
nad)  Slufectt  t)in,  fie  a((e  fbnnen  fitr  nn«  nur  bann  gum  @egen 
toerben,  n)enn  in  unferer  TOtc  bcr  grieben  t)crrfd)tr  toenn  bie 

*)Ibid.  1,29.        **)Ps.  133,1. 


—  72  — 

tradjt  ben  ©enuB  unferer  ©liter  un$  Derfiifcet.  ,,grft  foenn  bcr 
^•riebe  'Seine  ©renjen  lueifyet,  bann  erft  geuwfyret  £)ir  (Sattigung 
unb  ©enuB  beS  2Bei.$en3  gett!"  *)  3Bo  nid)t  ber  mitbe  £wud)  beS 
gtiebenS  unb  ber  (gintradjt  roefyet,  ba  urirb  bie  8uft  fdpoiif  unb  ber 
befte  @egen  Derbirbt  in  ifyr! —  liefer  Stag,  meine  ©eliebten,  an 
tt>c(d)embie;Bcn)oI)ner  alle  biefeS  roeiten  8anbe8  if)re£>er$en  su@ott 
lenfen,  roeldjer  3urt9e  uni>  ^e(d;en  ^Befenntniffe^  fie  aui^  fetn 
mogen,  biefer  £ag  fei  un^  t'e^re  unb  2ftaf)nung,  ba§  ber  Sitrger 
ben  33itrger  in  biefetn  S anbe  a(3  ©enoffen  unb  53rut>er  liebe,  ofjne 
bap  cr  friigt  nad)  feinem  8tarame  nnb  nacf)  [einem  ©lauben!  1)er 
©tamm,  ob  biefer  ober  j;cner,  er  anbert  nic^t^  an  ber  2h-n'berttd)fett 
unter  ben  3ftenfd)en !  unb  ber  ©laube,  er  ift  bie  ^3e^icf)ung  be^ 
ajjenf^en  gu  ©ott!  SSte  eg  urn  biefe  ^Bejieljung  fte()t,  ba^  madje 
ber  3JJenfd)  mit  feinem  eigenen  ©emiffen  au^,  ba§  ift  cine 
jwifdjen  if)nt  unb  feinem  Sdjityfer;  nimmer  abcr  mape  ber 
fid)  an,  eincn  ©lauben  ju  bcurtt)eilen,  um  ben  33efcnner  gu  oer= 
urtfjeilen,  nimmer  wage  cr  e^r  bcm  53ruber  bie  33mbcrliebe  ^u  t>er* 
meigern,  um  femes  ©lauben$  SBillen!  Xliut  er  e3,  bann  btent  er 
nidjt  ber  2Bal)i^eit,  er  oerfiinbigt  fid)  m'etmctjr  an  Ujr!  (Sr  forbert 
nidjt  ba§  9?ec^t,  fonbern  er  untergrabt  e6,  er  befeftigt  nid)t  bie  britte 
Ijeilige  Saule,  ben  $rieben,  fonbeni  er  ritttelt  unb  fcfjiittelt  an  i^r 
bis  fie  ttmnft!  3Ser  auS  ^ationalitat  ober  (Sonfeffton  eine 
<Sd)eibemanb  bauen  Will,  bie  ben  53itrger  bom  49iirger  trenne  in 
biefcm  ?anbc,  bcr  bauet  am  33erberben  unb  bet  SBeitem  nid)t  ant 
2BoI)te  feincS  i2taateS. 

Slber,  meine  ©eliebten,  roenn  id)  in  biefer  Stunbe  ber  ©ntradjt 
unb  bent  5rieben  baS  SSort  rcbe,  loenn  id)  befyaupte,  bay  bie  2So^(- 
fatirt  eineS  (StaateS  nid)t  alS  gefidjert  betradjtet  tuerben  faun,  fo 
lange  biefer  britte  ©runbpfeiler  nid)t  ftit^t  unb  tra'gt  bie  bitrgerlid)eti 
2?er()altniffe,  tuenn  id)  baS  innige  unb  Itcbeoolle  (ginDcrftiinbntB  ber 
•etaatSangeljorigen  untereinanber  gu  ben  Xugenben  jaljle,  u>e(d)e 
grofc  madjea  baS  25olf  unb  tucnn  ic^  barum  allett  ^etuofjncrn  biefeS 
VanbeS  in  ber  Seife  bes  biblifdjcn  gangers  ^urufe  WO  nn'e  gut  unb 
nn'e  lieblid)  ift  es,  menn  ^}l)r  briiberlid)  beifammen  mo()nt!"  fo 
itberfet)e  id)  babei  feineSnicgS,  ba§  im'r  l)icr,  bent  £>errn  fci  eS  ge* 
banft,  in  ©taaten  lebcn,  mo  bie  SQtanung  fret,  bie  Ueber* 

*)Ibid.  147,14. 


—  73  — 

jeugung  unbeuormunbet  ift;  nad)  ber  23erfaffung  biefeS  8anbe8 
foltte  e$  Ijicr  tneber  politifdje  nod)  religiose  §eud)(cr  geben;  bcr 
©ebanfe,  tuenn  er  nidjt  genteinfdjiibttd)  ift,  er  fann  fret  auSge* 
fprodjen  itnb  unge()tnbert  jur  23jat  doUfiiljret  tuerbcn.  2Bo 
abcr  ©cbanfe,  2lnfid)t  itnb  Ucberjcugung  tion  einer  tauernben 
3enfur  ntdjt  bcSpottfd)  einge^nangt  fterben  in  bie  fnedjtifdjc 
^turee  ber  ©eud)c(ei,  tt>o  erne  eigennitliige  9?egierung  ben  ©etft 
unb  bte  ®cifter  nidjt  geioattfam  niebertjalt,  IDO  Diclmetjr  ©elbft- 
benfen  itnb  @elbfturtl)etlen  bte  ftdjern  2Bat)r^etd)en  ber  @c(bft- 
ftanbtgfcit  itnb  gortgefdjrittenl)cit  eineg  S3olfeS  ftnb;  ba  mcrben 
aud)  ntdjt  alte  SJftenfdjen  ben  gletdjcn  ©ebanfen  itber  benfelben 
©egenftanb  tjcgen,  ba  tnerben  bte  SInfidjten  oft  met)r  obcr  minber 
wett  auSctnanbcr  get)cn  itnb  bte  pottttfdje  ober  rcltgiofe  lleberjen* 
gung  iwtrb  it)ren  etgenen  SBeg  etnfdjtagen  unb  frcifttg  Dcrfolgen ! 
£)te  2ln!)anger  etn  unb  beffelben  ®ebantcn#,  bte  in  9Infid)t  unb 
llebeqeugnng  itberctnftimmen,  fie  finben  fid)  itn  gemeinfamen 
©treben  ^ufammen  unb  bilben  eine  politifd)e  ober  religibfe  — 
^arteien  in  ber  ^otitif  toie  w  bcr  9fcUgion  ftnb  reined 
bie  9J2erfma(e  eineS  fiedjen,  franfl)aften  3wftonbe§,  fie  finb 
nicfyt  bie  traurigcn  95orboten  ber  ^erfe^ung,  Sluflofung  unb  33er* 
nid)tung,  fie  ftnb  t>ie(mct)r  bcr  gefunbe,  naturgentci^e  Snttt)ic!e* 
Inng§pro5e§,  ben  bie^bce  OQ^'^^berte,  ia  oft  ^"^'^^icube  lang 
burdjjumadjcn  ()at,  bi^  fie  tfjrer  enblidjen  ^(cirung  unb  gan^Iidjen 
£auterung  entgegengefitl)rt  tutrb;  ^arteien  im  33crcid)e  etner  ^bee 
bewatjren  »or  (Stagnation,  Dor  S3erbuntpfung  unb  ^crfninpfnng; 
fie  finb  bcr  fidjcre  ^3eniet^  bap  bie  ©tromung  bc3  53cniuJ3tfcing 
eine  frifrfje  unb  (cben^tiolle  ift,  baft  bag  SSirfen  unb  <Sd)affen  rrafttg 
bat)in  gcridjtct  ift,  bent  ^ortfdjrttte  unb  ber  (gntlnicfelung  eincn 
2Beg  ju  ebncn,  eine  ©trafte  ju  ba{)nen !  Sett  entfernt  alfo,  ben 
apatl)ifd)en,  tl)ei(naf)in§lofcn  B11^11"5  eincr  ^cirteitofigfcit,  bie  au«f 
©teidjgiiltigfett  entfpringt,  I)erbet3uroitnfd)en  fitr  biefcS  Sanb  — 
ein  ^wftanb,  tocldjer  ber  elenbcfte  unb  jainmerlid)fte  ift  fitr  bie  pott* 
tifdje  inie  fitr  bie  religibfe  ©emeinfdjaft  —  fprcdje  id)  bielmeljr 
gerne  unb  nnnmrnunben  bem  'ipartciteben  auf  beibcn  ©ebieten  fcine 
33ered)tigitng  gu  unb  er!enne  unb  ttntrbige  id),  nad)  il)rcm  ganjen 
Umfange  bte  gntctt  SStrfnngcn,  mefdje  e§  in  feincm  ©efolge  fyat. 
2lber  follcn  btefe  Sirfungen  in  ber  £f)at  gute  fetn,  bann  muft  bie 
^artet,  ju  weldjer  9^id)timg  fie  fid)  and)  befenncn  mag,  ju  iljrert 


oberften  ©runbfa^en  erfjeben  erftlid)  tie  SGBafyrljett,  fie  folge  bem 
c,  lucfdjeS  fie  auf  ifyre  $al)ne  gefdjrieben  l)at,in  fo  lange  mit 
unb  SKitSbcmer,  al3  biefeS  ^ringip  mit  ber  innerften  Ueber* 
geugung  ftimmt,  nimtner  aber  fcerfdjliefje  fie  fid;  au3  Cbftination 
unb  (Sigenfinn  ber  SBelefyrung  unb  bem  j^ugange  e^ner  beffern 
ttebergeugung  —  unb  bann  folge  fie  bem  9?ed)te !  @ie  Derttjeljre 
nimmer  ber  Cartel,  fteldje  fie  ueben  ja  gegen  fid)  tyat,  frei  iljren 
SSeg  gu  gel)en,  fie  bcfampfe  il)re  ©egner  burd)  bic  SSai)rI)eit,  h)eld)e 
tljr  felbft  innerao^nt;  burd)  bie  eigene  SBiirbc  unb  2Sor5itgtid)feit 
fud)e  fie  fiir  fid)  511  befeljren  unb  Stnfyiinger  gu  gewtnnen,  nie  aber 
grcife  fie  gu  fotdjen  Sftitteln,  lt>eld)e  eine  ^rcin!ung  unb  SSerle^ung 
beS  uncintaftbaren  9^ed)te§  ber  frcien  SDZeinung  in  fid)  fd)Iie jjen !  SBo 
utd)t  SSai)rl)cit  unb  9?cd)t  bie  Seitfterne  ber3)^einungSt)eri"d)icben^eit 
finb,  ba  finft  ba^  'porteilebcn  gur  ^arteifudjt  ^crab,  biefe  aber  ifi 
uid)t  mel)r  ber  (eud)tenbc  SeiueiS  ber  ©cfunb^eit  unb  4Bett>u^tfeing* 
fiitle,  fonbern  fie  Icgt  ba§  tranrige  3eugniB  ab  fiir  ba3  @ied)tt)iim 
einer  ©cmcmfdjaft.  Qa,  meine  ©cliebten,  e^  faun  bad  ^arteilcben 
on  ^raft  unb  @d)tt>ung  in  unferer  3JJitte  gcnnnnen  unb  bennod) 
!ann  e§  ,,gut  unb  lieblid)"  fiir  un§  fein,  unb  bennod)  fonnen  lt)ir 
,,briibertid)  betfammen  iwo^nen."  SKbgen  uur  bie  fcerfd)tcbenett 
^Parteien  bafi'tr  @orge  tragen,  ba^  e§  iljrem  ^trebcn  uid)t  fel)Ie  an 
ben  gn>?t  ©runbfa'uten,  3BaI)rl)eit  unb  9Jed)t,  bann  im'rb  —  bcim 
ttiiirmftenGifer  fiir  bie  eigene  9fid)tung — bod)  feft  unb  unerfd)iittert 
bleiben  bie  britte  Ijeilige  (Sa'nle  —  ber  $rieben  unb  bie  53rubcrliebe. 
(Setjt,  inbcnt  iuir  (jeute  Dor  bem  2tngefid)te  be^  §crrn  gu  ticfem 
®anl  bcrfammelt  finb,  inbcm  bie  t)erfd)iebenften  ^arteicn  ber 
politifd)cn  unb  gtaubigen  9^td)tungen  fid)  trcffen  unb  bcriifyren  in 
bent  ^ettigen  ©efitljl  ber  8icbe  gum  SSaterlanbe  unb  be3  ®an!e« 
gcgen  ben  <2d)b'pfer,  ba  rufet  unfer  ©laubenSinort  a!3  britte 
2ftaf)nung  un^  gu  ben  toicfytigcn  @at|:  ,,Xugcnb  erljcbt  ein  SBolt" 
©oil  aber  btefcS  3So(£  gro§  fein  burd)  fcine  Xugenb,  bann  miiffcn 
bie  5lnl)iinger  ber  Derfdjicbenftcn  ^Jartcicn  in  eincm  SBerfe  fid)  gu. 
fammcnfinben  unb  bicfe^  grofce  unb  Ijciltge  Serf  ift,  gu  ber  SBafjr* 
^eit  unb  gu  bem  3?ed)te  feft  unb  anfred)t  gu  cr^altcn  ben  britten 
©runbpfcilcr,  ber  ba  tragt  unfere  SSoljlfafyrt  unb  unferen@egen  — 
ben  {yrtcben! 

©o  fcten  c§  benn  SBa^r^ett,  $fted)t  uub  griebe,  bie  h)tr 
ttufern  St^aten  alien  gu  ©runbe  legen  toollen,  auf  ba§  tuir  burd) 


—  75  — 

£ugenb  unfcr  33olf  jur  ©rope  fiifyren  unb  nimmer  burd)  <3imbe 
ttnfercs  ^anbcS  ©dmtadj  Derfdjnlben ! 

Vtnb  Did),  o  ©ott,  bitten  unr  urn  £)etnen  33eiftanb,  unt  $)eine 
£mfe !  2Bte  £>u  mit  un3  geiDefen  bift  im  Dergangenen  3'afyrc/  a^"° 
fei  and)  fitrber  uufer  gnabcnretdjer  £>ort !  2U|o  tuadje  aud)  im 
nadjften  Qafyvt  unb  in  aUen  fommcnben  ^^^^  wber  S5)ol)l  unb 
©ebetfyen  bic|"e§  ^anbe^!  ®penbe  un6  £)einen  ftaterlidjen  ®egen 
unb  gib  un3  ein  ttnblidje^  ^)erg,  benfetbcn  nntrbig  gu  genieilen. 
^'cnfe,  o  Dcrrr  ba6  $cr^  ber  9J?dnncr  unfereS  SSertraiien^,  benen 
wtr  bag  2Bol)l  be^  ^anbe^  in  bie  §cinbe  kgcn,  erfiille  fie  mtt  ebler 
^3egeiftenmg  fiir  SSaljrljeit  unb  9icd)t,  bap  fie,  tuctteifernb  in  ber 
Siebe  ^ur  fdjoncn  ^etinatl),  gemeinfam  ba^  eine  £(d  oerfofgen 
mogen,  burdj  gute  @c[e^e  unb  bitrd)  gcit»iffen()afte  SSermaltung  baS 
©litcE  biefes  i^anbc^  fidjcr  unb  banernb  ju  mad)cn!  ©ib,  o  ^>err, 
baft  ©cfctsgebung  unb  Oicgicrung  biefcS  £anbe3  in  frtebtid)er  iteber- 
einftinunung  fid)  einigen  mogen  itber  bie  beftcit  3)2ittet  uub  bie 
red)ten  S5ege,  bap  nitnmenneljr  burd)  3^^°^  ^  ©ute  im 
Heime  erfticft  unb  bie  SBoIjIfafyrt  ber  ^Bitrger  gefa'Ijrbet  inerbe! 
(ginige,  o  §err,  inifer  9tttcr  &w?>en  in  ^ingebenber  SSirffamfeit  fiir 
itnfer  S3aterlanb,  bap  im  gan$en  Sanbe  ^errfdjen  mbge  SBaIjrt)cit, 
unb  grieben.  Slmen!  — 


ge^altcn    bet    bcr    (Srunbftetnlegunvj   $um    neucn  Cenpel 
C^cfeb",  am  \^.  December,  \870. 


©ebet. 


3(Umad)ttgcr  ©ott,  @d)b^fer  unb  Center  b 
Reiner  (gt>re  unb  jur  23ei'l)errlid)ung  !Dcine^  ^amen^  ^aben  l»ir 
unS  Ijcute  l)ter  tcrfammelt,  urn  ben  ©runbftein  gn  legen  jn  etnem 
Xempcl,  ber  3)ir  gett>etl)t  unb  ge^eiligt  fein  foil;  geiuetfyt  burd)  bie 
2lnbad)t  ber  ^er^en,  tueld)C  fid)  t)ter  2)etnem  Slltare  naljcn  luerbcn 
unb  gel)ci(tgt  burd)  bie  9?cinl)ctt  ber  i^c^re,  tuetdje  an  btefer  ©tiitte 
in  £>emem  37amen  gefitnbet  unb  uerbrettct  toerben  fott. 


—  76  — 

23on  Slnbeginn  fyaft  Du  Did),  o  £>crr,  geoffenbart  bem 
S0?enfd)engefd){cd)te,  £)u  I)  a  ft  ben  Dbem  bc3  1)  b  I)  even  SebenS  un3 
etugcijaudjt,  ba3  ©treben  nad)  SDctner  (Srfenntnijj  ift  S^ein  gbtt* 
lidjeS  ©epra'ge,  toetdjeS  bte  2ftenfd)enfee(e  tra'gt  unb  ba3  33eburfniJ5 
nad)  finbltdjem  SBerfcfyr  nut  £)tr,  ift  bcr  ©otteSftemtoef,  burd) 
ttieldjen  3)u  ba 


9(uf  biefe  ^eilige  ©aatcn,  eingepflan^t  bem  2J?enjd)engefd)Ied)te 
bet  feinev  ©djbpfung  fdjon,  ticpeft  X>u  am  ©mat  ben  befrud)tcnben 
9?e"gen  Reiner  I)eiltgcn  Sefyre  nicbertrdufeln;  bic  SBaI)rI)ctt  com 
eintg*etnjtgett  UriDefen,  toeld^e  ba  ben  ©taubgcbornen  bcrfitnbct 
teurbe  —  fie  nrorb  bte  gottgepftanjte  SBurjct,  bie  ben  Stamm  be^ 
?ebcn6battmc^  baS  retigibfc  -Sewu^tfetn  —  ftdjer  tragt  nnb  iuoljl- 
ttjucnb  na^rt,  auf  bafe  biefer  <Stamm  in  gefunbcr  £riebtraft  ba^ 
^errltd)e  ©ejmetge  ber  menf^Iidjen  ^fugenben  ^eroomad)|cn  taffc, 
reidjlid)  gefegnct  mit  ben  eniig  unoemelfltdjen  §ritd)tcn  h)af)rl)aft 
froinmer,  gottgefatliger  Xfjatcu!  ®te  ftnaitifdjc  SBafyrljett,  tueldje 
®id)  aid  ben  <8d)bpfer  bc§  Unider[um§  erfcnnt,  al3  ben  gnnben* 
reidjen  SlUiiater  be^  gefammten  SOtenfd)cngefd)Icd)te3  bcfennt,  fie 
entfprtd^t  in  ifyrer  ©rope  ber  ©rb^e  £)cine§  2Befen«,  fie  ift  bie  adjte 
2e^re  fiir  ©etft  itnb  §crj,  ift  bie  i^etjrc  bcr  @r!cnntnt§  nnb  ber 
8iebc  gugletdj;  in  £>einer  2IIIf)etItgfcit  geigt  fie  un3  ben  ^eg  jur 
menfd)lid)en  ^ciltgung  unb  in  bcr  (Stnljctt  unb  Untl)eilbarfeit 
!Deine§  gbttltdjcn  SefcnS,  IjcUt  fie  un^  bte  gro^e  gctjre  toon  ber 
(Sin^ett  unb  llntl)ei(borfett  be§  ^enjdjengefdjIcdjtcS  toor,  unb 
fd)Iinget  fo  bag  ^Banb  ber  Sruberftebe  urn  alle 
9?etne  (grfenntni^  gciuctljte  ©olte§tocrcf)rung  unb 
tt)dttge  53ruberliebe,  biefe  brct,  o  §crr,  ^aft  S)u  bcfttmmt  ol^  bie 
©runbfaulcn,  tocldje  ben  ^odjragenben  53au  bc§  ©ottcc'glaubeng 
tragen  follcn,  ben  (SJrunbftem  baju  Ijaft  Qn  am  ©inai  gc(cgt,  ben 
9lugbau,  bte  23o(Ienbung  abcr  I)aft  ^Du  bcr  2ftenfdjcnfyanb,  bem 
3J2cnfdjcngetfte  aiitoertraut! 

21U  bte  ^fjvtaufenbe  Ijtnburd),  feit  ber  groften  ©lanben^grunb^ 
ftetntegung  am  (gtnat,  t)at  ba^  3So(f,  tteld)e§  X"u  junadjft  311  bicfem 
^etltgen  Serfe  bcrufcn  I)aft,  tnit  iMcbe,  £rcue  unb  SUtSbaucr 
feinem  er^abcncn  33crufe  gelebt,  bet  Ijellem  unb  tritbcm  SScttcr,  in 
guten  unb  fdjlimmcn  ^citen  I)at  (Jfract  nie  aufgel)brt,beu  foftbaren 
^tt  forbern,  ben  £>u  t^m  Ijaft  anocrtraut  in  Reiner  SWgnabe! 


—  77  — 

grineingeriffen  in  ben  wilbfdjciumenben  @trom  bcr  SSeltbegeben* 
fyeiten,  !onntcn  bod)  felbft  bie  gcwaltigften  unb  unbanbigften 
5(utf)en  nid)t  auSlb'fdjen  bte  fjeilige  (&intt)  ber  ©laubcnSltebe, 
ba§  ."per}  biefeS  23olfe3  burd)f(ammte;  brofjenb  fdjtugeit  bte 
leu  iibcv  feinem  §aupte  jufammen,  aber  itber  ben  So  gen  mar  ftets 
fidjtbar  feine  gottgefrafttgte  £mnb,  metdje  I)od)emporl)iclt  ba§ 
©ottevJpanter,  ba3  anoertrautc  §etltgt()itm,  bte  ©ottc§(el)re  fitr  bte 
"Dtcnfd)[)eit!  Unb  bad  war  baS  3e^)en'  ^aB  e^  n 
gangcn  unb  ber  23ett)et3,  ba^  e^  nte  unterge^en  fonnte! 

^a,  jur  jelben  &it,  a(3  bie  gan.^e  95>iberftanb§fal)tgfcit 
l)erau«geforbcrt  ju  fcin  fdjten,  gur  SBefjaitptimg  unb  grifrung  etner 
ietbcnSretdien  Crrtfteit},  ba  (citjmte  btefer  ilantpf  ntd)t,  fonbern  er 
fdjcirfte,  fpornte  unb  fteigertc  feme  getfttge  Jtjattgfett !  ®ie[e§  23olf 
erprobte  unb  bcunifyrte  bte  UnDerroiiftltdifett  fetner  £raft  unb  bte 
3lcd)tl)ett  feine§  ^Berufe^,  burd)  bie  (Sntintdctung  unb  ©ntfaltung 
roeldje  fid)  unauftjaltfam  in  [etnem  etgenen  SSJefen  Do^og;  (o 
feinbltcf)  fid)  aud)  tange  3al)rl)unberle  tjinburd)  bie  23erfya'ttnii~[e 
gegen  bte  ©djiucroerfolgten  geftalteten,  fie  inupten  nid)t  nur  bem 
unfagltdjen  S)rude  ju  wiberfteljen,  metjr  nod),  fie  luu^ten  ben  (Sin* 
flufc  ber  3Settbegebent)eitcn  in  fid)  aufjunefymen  unb  bitbcnb  ju  oer^ 
arbetten!  llnter  ben  <£titrmen  triiber,  geinttterfdjincrer  2!age 
wufetc  ^>frael  in  jebem  3al)r^unberte  feine  geiftigcn  9ftonumente 
aufjuridjten,  wetdje  ber  N^ad)itielt  fihtben,  ba§  luir  mtt  riefiger 
Stnftrcngung  burd)  bie  ^oraenljeden  ber  £eiben  ben  SSeg  gitr 
getfttgen  9ieife  un3  ^n  baljneit  tuuBten ! 

@o,  £)crr,  Ijat  fid)  mit  Reiner  §itfe  bicfcS  SSoIf  fyeraugerungen 
au^  bem  !DunfcI  tritbcr  ,3eitcn  311  bcm  Ijetlftratjlenben  i^idjtc  einer 
freubigen  ©egcnwart,  unb  fo  Ijat  e§  fid)  Ijcrangerungen  unb  em* 
porgefd)inungen  au§  t>en  Xiefen  fo  mandjer  befd)ranfcnben  $n* 
tl)itmer,  bie  e§  umfangen  tjiclten,  jur  £)ol)e  ciner  ^eilfamern 
ft'enntnip  unb  5tnfd)ammg  tiom  ^)ctHgtt)umr  beffcn  Stragcr  eg  tft; 
nid)t  ^tnberniffe  bon  Stupen  unb  nid;t  ^inberniffe  non  Onnen 
madjen  unfcr  gtaubigc^  Sirfcn  mefyr  311  einem  fdjmer^en^reidjcn 
3J?artt)rertt)um.  £an!  2)ir,  in  ungeftb'rter,  gtitcfltdjcr  greubtgfeit 
fbnnen  im'r  ^einen  gbttltd^cn  $bfid)ten  biencn,  mit  gan^em 
^eiM,en,  mit  ganger  Seele  unb  mit  ganger  ungctljetlter  ^raft! 

Unb  tt)ie  biefes  ^elle  Sid)t  ber  neuen  £tit  immer  iuol)ltl)uenber 
ouf  un3  einbrtngt,  merben  n)ir  un§  and)  ber  ©rb'^e  unb 


I)ctt  unferc§  33erufe»  immcr  flarer  unb  genauer  benwfct,  bie  alte 
3nnigfeit  lautert  fid),  bie  alte  |)ingebung  ftctgert  fid);  je  meb,r  fid) 
unfet  ©eftdjtstrete  im  ©laubcn  crracttcrt,  befto  glorreid)er  erfdjeint 
iin§  bie  Slufgabe,  bie  £u  mt«  fyaft  iibertragen  unb  befto  unerfd)iit* 
terltdjer  tuirb  and)  unfer  &  off  en  imb  SBerrrauen,  baf?  un$  bie 
Sofung  biefer  Slufgabe  geltngen  roirb  unb  gelingen  inuft,  bafj  e§  ber 
SD'Jenfdjen^anb  utib  bcm  2)Zenfd)engeift  geltngen  roirb,  ben  39ait,ben 
T)u  am  (Sinai  gegritnbet,  in  feiner  ganjcn  ®torie  ^ur  SMenbung 
gu  bringen.  ^a,  fie  ttrirb  unb  mit§  fommen,  bie  $eit,  mo  Tu 
5Ibonai  Gd)nb  ntd)t  nur  ber  ©laube  ^frael^,  fonbern  ba§  rcine  53e= 
fenntnip  ber  gefammten  2JJenfd)b,eit  fein  tDtrft 

^n  biefem  ©eifte,  auf  fofdien  Grinnentngcn  unb  foldien  t^ 
nungen  bauen  mtr  unfere  ©ottes^aufer  in  5irQC^ 
jur  (5f)re  unb  un«  sur  53efriebigung  be§  religibfen 
ber  3)?enid)l)eit  jum  §cife! 

llnb  Don  biejem  ©etfte  befeelt,  oon  biefen  Grinnerungen 
erfiiflt,  toon  biefen  ^offnungen  getragen,  fleb/t  ^eute  bie 
©emeinbe  5l^ainat^  Sfyefeb  S^einen  gbttlidien  ^3eiftanb 
auf  ba6  gro^e  unb  ^eilige  ©laubcn&nerf,  ir>eld)e«  beren 
gtieber  in  finblMier,opfernMlIiger£iebe  ju !Dir  unternommcn  ^abcn; 
£>it  gibft  bent  23?enfd)en  SBei^b/eit  ben  'jjlon  ju  entroerfcn,  unb  oer^ 
lei^ft  ib.m  bie  ^raft  ben  (Sntnwrf  au«3ufiib,ren,  T)anf  !^irr  o  §err, 
fiir  T)eine  l)ilfreid)e  ©nabe,  bie  ®u  un8  bi^Ijer  ernnefen,  bie  un§  in 
ben  @ianb  gefe^t  b,at,  alle  ®d)niierigfeiten  ju  Uberwinben,  unb  fo 
»eit  e3  5Wenfd)en  moglid),  ben  Grfolg  beim  ^3eginne  fd)on  ?u 
fidjern!  Sotleft  ®u,  o  §err,  J)einen  gottlidjen  @d)u^  unS  oud) 
fiirbertjin  angebeifyen  laffen;  Ia§  trie  bi§b,er  aud)  ferneriiin  tttalten 
in  biefer  ©emeinbe  ben  ©etft  erteud)teter  ^rontmigfctt,  britberlidjer 
IHebe  unb  einrrad)tigen  3ufammentt)W^^  °°B  S?orftonb  unb 
3J?itgIteber  tion  gteidjer  ^egeiftcrung  erfiillt,  frcubtg  gu  Grnbe 
futjrcn  bag  frommeSSerf,n)e{d)e^  fie  in  fyeiliger  2uft  untcrnommen; 
erfitlle  bie  banner,  weldje  ba«  2?crrrauen  ber  ©cmcinbe  bcrufen 
^at,  ben  53au  ju  iibertDad)cn,  mit  luarmem  (Stfer  unb  nbtliiger  Stn= 
fidjt,  baft  fie,  trie  bteljcr,  wiirbig  ber  Sbfung  ib,rcr  ttfiditigen  2luf- 
gabe  obliegen  ntbgen,  unb  ba^  itjr  Strfen  Don  gcbetb,ttd)em  (Srfolge 
beglettet  fet:  fegne,  o  §err,  alle  ^erjen  unb  §anbe,  toetdje  an  ber 
^erftellung  ®eine§  ^eiligt^um^  arbeiten !  9?om  ©runbftein  bis 
©iebet  begtcttc  X*ein  gottltdier  ©nabenblicf  biefen  fjeiligen 


—  79  — 

8an,  baft  bic  ftorm  tioflenbet  fjeroorgefye  aus  ber  $anb  be8 
menfdjlidjen  SfteifterS;  auf  baft  ba§  au^ere  Serf,  bas  materieUe 
§au$  in  feiner  3)auerf)aftigfeit  unb  ^eftigfeit,  in  fei 
tett  unb  £d)b'nl)eit  cin  Slbbilb  incrbc,  bc3  erfyabenen  geiftigen 
ben  £5ein  3frael  fb'rbert  burd)  bie  ^ofyrfjunberre  ! 

Unb,  o  §err,  tnenn  bie  ^orm  oollenbet  baftel)en  it>ivb,  bann 
mit  bicfer  ©emeinbe  etn^ie^en  ®eine  ©djerfjtnaf)  in  ba§  neue 
tt>dd)e§  loir  Sir  beretten;  Ia^  ein$iel)en  ben  ©eift  ber  retnen 
(grfenntnift,  ben  ©eift  geweitjter  ©ottc§nerel)rung,  ben  ©eift  ber 
opferiDtUigftcn  Stebe  jwtfdjen  9)Zcn[d)  itnb  aJZenfc^cn;  auf  bafe  grofe 
wie  !5)ein  SBefen,  and)  gro^  unb  oerftart  fci  ber  ©lattbe  Reiner 


Qn  !Deinem  ^amen  fjaben  loir  bcgonnen,  in  J)einem 
(Srotger,  tegen  unr  ben  ©runbftein  unb  in  £einem  9^anten  ^offen 
tt)ir  ba8  3Berf  freubig  ^u  oollenben;  ntbge  e§  S)ein  25>tUe  fein,  o 
£err,  ba§  biefeg  ©otte§t)au§  werbe  ein  iBauftein  mefjr,  gefitgt  ^ur 
^erfteUung  ieneg  er^aben  !Dome§,  in  beffcn  erb^nroeite  S15forten 
etn5ieh,en  merben  alle  2lbam§[o^ne  unb  beffcn  inettumfaffenbe 
puppet  fricb(id)  befdjatten  niirb  bie  gefammte  9}Jenfd)^ett  a(^  bie 
geeinigte  ©fonben§fd)aar,  anbetenb  ben  Sinig^einjigen;  mflge  bie6 
©otte^^aus  tocrbcn  ein^auftein  mefyr,  gefitgt  gur  ^erfteltung  j.ene§ 
geiftigen  XcmpelS,  beffen  33oIIenbung  mir  ertjoffen,  unb  don  bent 
bie  23crf)etJ3ung  lantet:  ,,T)enn  mein  ^>au§  foil  genannt  wcrbcn  ein 
fiir  alle  Golfer!" 


©eeb,rte  9!)ZitgIieber  ber  ©emetnbe  SlljawatI)  etjefcb  unb  oer= 
e^rte  SlnraefenbeJ 

3H^  ber  ©runbftein  jum  gweitcn  2:empel  in  ^erufalem  gelegt 
ttmrbe,  ba  begtcitcte  ber  ^ropljct  Sfyaggai  baS  crnfte  SBcrf  mit 
crnftem  Sort:  ,,Unb  nun  ferret  euer  §erj  baran,  com  Ijeutigen 
unb  fitrberl)in,  beoor  nod)  gefiigt  nrirb  Stein  auf  ©tein  am 
be§  Groigen"  (Sliaggai  2,15).  (Srtaubet  mtr,  biefeS  ^ro* 
ptjeteniuort  als  ©runblage  ^u  benu^en  fitr  bie  @d)tu^bemerfungcn, 
meldje  id)  bci  biefcr  freubigen  ©elegenb^eit  an  Grud)  rtdjtc.  ^d)  mill 
(Suren  53(i(f  rtd)ten  in  bie  33ergangent)eit  unb  ^ufunft;  nid)t  in  bie 


—  80  — 

$ergangenf)eit  unb  ,3uhtnft  be3  gefammten  3fraet3,  biefe  Ijabe  id) 
bereits  in  bem  ©cbete,  ineldjeS  id)  Ijente  in  Surem  iJtomen  ,}u  ©ott 
emporfenbete,  in  ben  tt>efentlid)en  ^unften  beriifyrt,  eingefyenber 
Ijierdon  abjuljanbeln,  geftattet  un3  bie  ^iirje  ber  gcit  nid)t  metjr, 
unb  barum  nn'U  id)  mid)  borauf  befdjranfen,  au$  bcr  SSergangenljeit  • 
ber  ©emetnbe  211)  aw  art)  Sljefeb  unb  au3  bent  Serfe,  ttetdjeS  bte= 
felbe  mit  bem  ^eutigen  Stage  begriinbet  fyat,  bie  gotgerung  ju 
jte^en,  roetdjer  9?id)tfd)nur  biefe  ©emeinbe  in  ifyrcm  fommunalen 
8eben  gu  fotgen  fyat.  ©o  feljret  benn  (Siter  £)er3,  bcoor  Stein  ouf 
©tein  gefiigt  luirb  am  Xempel  bc§  (groigen,  an  bie  ernfte 
tuortung  bcr  fotgenben  5ragen:  Seldje  33cbeutung  l)at  ber 
5U  bem  3^  tjeute  ben  ©runbftem  legtet,  fitrbte  ®emeinbe3l^an)at^ 
S^e|eb?  SSetdje  23ebeutung  fitr  bie  ifraelitifdjen  53eiDoI)ner  btefer 
Settftabt  9Zeit>  3)orf?  unb  enbtid),  U)eld)e  Sebeutung  fiir  ba§  ge* 
[ammte  .^fraet  ^merifa'^?  — 

1.  SDte  53orge|d)id)te  eine§  ilnterne^menS  ift  eine  Strt  ^5er= 
fpeftio,  roeld)e§  un§  oerftattct,  einen  ^Blicf  in  bie  .Sufunft  ju  t^un. 
2Bir  Ijaben  ge^ort  bie  3Sorgefd)id)te  be3  Unterncljmen^  bcffcn  2lu6* 
fiitjrung  in  biefer  ©tunbe  feiertid)  tnaugurirt  tnurbe.  ®ie  ©cfd)id)te 
ber  ©emetnbe  2lf)an>atf)  St)e|eb  warb  un^  mitget{)etlt  don  einem 
^JJanne,  ber  bie  ©emeinbe  entftefyen  fa^  unb  ber  beinafye  (ett  t^rem 
gntftel)en,  mel)r  benn  jrcei  G'a^jcljenbe,  an  berSpt^e  berfcttcn  a(g 
^Jra'i'ibcnt  mit  fegen^reid)cm  Grfolge  maltet.  3Sie  un[d)embar  unb 
gering  toar  ber  33cgtnn !  2Sie  be[d)eiben  maren  bie  2)ZttteO  roe(d)e 
3:l)r  in  ^3cred)nung  bringen  fonntet,  rocnn  Qty  an  eine  §c6ung,an 
einen  2Uifi"d)inung  Gurer  fommunalen  ^uftanbe  badfjtet!  llnb  bod), 
U)ie  I)at  bie  ^cbung,  bcr  3luf[d)mung,  ben  (Sure  ©cmetnbe  erycft  ^at, 
ba§  23erl)a'(tniJ3  bcr  9)?ittel  fo  roeit  itbertjolt,  fo  g(iin3enb  itber* 
ftitgelt!  5BeId)  ein  5lbftanb  ,^t>i|d)en  bem  bourne,  roe(d)er  dor  brei* 
unbjwanjtg -3al)icn  (Sure  erfte  gotte§bienftlid)e  ^(nbadit  al§  ©e* 
mcinbe  fat)  unb  bem  $rad)tbau,  in  tne(d)en 3^r  mit  bce.^crrn^iife 
balb  einjiet)cn  wcrbet!  $fyr,  bie  3^  W  ben  erften  ©rimbern  ber 
©emeinbe  gcfyort,  id)  fann  mir  (Sure  ©efiifyte  in  btefer  Stunbe  red)t 
lebl)aft  dorftellen,  tucnn  id)  baran  benfe,  roas  un8  bie  ®d)dft  don 
ben  ©efi'tt)Ien  be§  23o(fc$  bet  ber  ©runbftetntegung  be«  jtoeiten 
SCcmpeld  eqdtjit :  3U  bencn,  bie  jubelnb  baS  begtnnenbe  2Berf  be. 
grii^ten,  mtfd)ten  fid)  aud)  Banner,  tt)eld)e  ben  erften  £empe(  in 
feiner  ©errltd)f ett  gefe^en  fatten;  bie  waren  don  ber  Qttadjt  t^rer 


—  81  — 

Gjrttmerung  niebergebeugt,  fie  fafyen,  inte  toeit  ba§  jmeitc  2Berf  bcm 
erften  tiadjftanb  unb  bic  2lu3brud)e  bcr  Sefymutl)  madjtcn  fid)  l)5r* 
bar  unter  ben  Ijcltcn  ^ubcltonen !  2(uf  (Sud)  finbct  bicfe  biblifrfje 
(Srjiifylitng  in  umgefd)rtcr  Drbmmg  iljrc  9Intt)enbung.  SBotjt 
fpredjen  luir  2Ute  in  freubigem  £)anfe:  ,,£)a3  ift  ein  Jag,  ben  ber 
,<perr  un8  gefdjenft!"  Unt  ime  Diet  tiefer  unb  inniger  abcr  ift  btefed 
SDanfgefiiljl  bet  benjenigen  unter  @U(J),tt)eId)e  intfyrenSrinncrnngen 
urn  breiunb^uan^ig  $Qtyn  5uritcfgel)cnb,  cine  33erg(ctd)ung  anftcltcn 
fbnnen  jivifdjcit  bent  bef^etbenen  9iaume,  tnctd)cr  il)re  erftc 
5tuba^t«ftcttte  mar  unb  bem  ^rac^tbau  gu  beffen  ©runbftetnlcgung 
un«J  t)eutc  ber  §err  geijotfcn  b,at! 

^itrroaljr,  fie^t  man  au3  fold)  geringem  ^3cginne  etnen  fold) 
Ijerritdjcn  Srfotg  fid)  entroicfcht,  bann  barf  man  mit  9ied)t  ba^ 
SBovl  un'cbcrl)olen,  weld)e3  bcr  ^3ropl)ct  bci  aljnUdjer  ©clcgcn^eit 
gcfprodjcn:  ,f2Ber  mag  nod)  uerad)ten  ben  Xag  bc§  ftcincn  3tn= 
fangs?  (Seljcn  fie  bod)  b,eute  freubtg  ba§  ©cnt'blei  in  ©erubabeB 
§anb!"  Unb  fie^t  man  ans  foldjem  53eginne  fold)cn  (Srfotg  er4 
wad)fcn,  bann  fiel)t  man  fic^  <$u  bcr  33el)auptung  Dcranlaf?t:  bic 
SBclt  t)at  Unrcd)t,  incnn  fie  fagt,  ba§  ©clb  fei  ber  nervus  rerum  ; 
bci  frommcn  Unterncfyniungen  ift  bic  53egcifterung  ber  nervus 
rerum]  bic  cd)tc  4Begetftcrung  umfj  fid)  bie  9JtitteI  ftets  ju  oer* 
f djaffen  nnb  fampf t  fid)  mutfyig  an  baS  ftkl  I  SBcnn  je  bed  ^Jro= 
pfyetcn  SSort  fcine  paffenbe  5lmt)cnbung  fanb,  fo  gi(t  baffelbc  Ijentc 
t)on  (5uc^  unb  con  (Surcm  gvoften  itntcrncljmen:  ,,9Zidjt  burd) 
a)?ad)t  unb  nidjt  burd)  traft,  fonbcrn  burd)  meinen  ©eift!"  ?iid)t 
ber  llebcrftujj  gurcr  9)2ittcl,  bcr  9tcid)tl)um  (Surer  ©cmcinbefaffa 
I)at  (Sud)  ba^  SScrlongcn  nacb,  cincm  priic^tigen  Jcmpcl  eingegebcn, 
fonberu  bas  i8cbitrfnip  I)at  ba3  ernfte  ©trcben  bci  (5ud)  gcttecft 
unb  bie  fromnte  ^Bcgeifterung  fyat  e§  oerftanben,  bie  Ouctlcn  ju 
grabcn,  auS  bcncn  bie  DJttttcl  in  auSrcic^enbem  23?a^e  flic^en. 

tlub  ba^,  mcine  ©eUcbtcn,  ift  ber  ®ernpunft  (Surer  33crgangen- 
fjctt;  bartn  Ucgt  bie  ^ofung  ber  ftragc,  roie  3'^r  &u&)  ben  2Beg 
bal)ntct  uom  roinsigen  Slnfange  p  bent  adjtungSgdnctcnbcn  Stanb* 
punfte,  auf  »elcf)cm  3I)r  Ijcitte  angelangt  fcib,  ber  ®etft,  ber  (Sut^ 
Don  je()er  bcfccltc,  tjot  bie  (Srl)5l)ungen  gcfcnft,  bie  35crticfungcn 
gc!)obcn  unb  bie  ©trafje  geebnet,  bie  Sud)  oormarU  unb  immer 
uorwdrt^  f iifyrte !  X)er  ®ctft  bc§  grtebcns  unb  ber  ©ntra^t,  bcr 
©cift  ber  (Strcbfamfcit  unb  Xpttgfcit !  SBoIlct  31)r  bie  23cbeutung 


—  82  — 

biefer  IJSaanmg  gani  erfennen,  bairn  blicfet  f)in  auf  Guer  SSerf  in 
betn  Stabtum  u>ie  e$  jc£t  oor  Gud)  licgt.  $)a$  gunbomcnt  ift  ouf* 
gefitfjrt.  355a3  abcr  ift  ba3  Sfuttbamcnt,  menu  bcr  Ucbcrbau  iljm 
fefylt?  Uub  roefdjcn  2DcrtI)  fjat  bcr  Sou,  roenn  cr  titdjt  oom  fcftcn 
^unbamcnte  gctragcn  nrirb?  griebcn  ol)ne  Strebfcnnfeit  ift  cin 
gunbamcnt  oljne  Ucbcrbau,  Strebfamfcit  ol)iic  gricbcn  ift  etn  §au\> 
gebant  auf  Scmb,  c^  fd)It  il)m  bcr  feftc  ©runb,  fcin  Stfianb  ift 
immerfort  gcfaf)rbct!  3^riraittimnredttm  ©ciftc  bcfcclt,  $to 
betradjtctct  nidjt  ben  ^ncbeu  a(3  ben  letljargifcoen  2d)Iaf,  ber  burd) 
benSccfruf  jurXljcittgfeit  geftort  ju  mcrbcn  fiirdjtet,  3Ijr  fatict  ntdjt 
in  ber  Crmtracfyt  ba3  ftagntrcnbc  (SIcmcnt  ber  Stfjatloftgfeit,  3^r 
waret  ftrcbfam  in  (Surer  5ricbfcrtigfeit  unb  einrraditig  in  (Surer 
Xl)otig!cit;  bcr  ©emcinbefneben  tear  ba3  fefte  gunbament  auf 
toeldiem  3^t  wirftct  unt)  fc^afftet,  £raft  ftdrfte  fid)  an  ^raft, 
SBcgetftcnmg  cnt^imbete  fic^  anAScgeifterung,iiu  engen  unb  inntgen 
3ufammcnl)alten  ftcigcrte  fid)  bie  £f)arluft  unb  oerboppctte  fid)  bie 
S^atfraft;  flcfitl)rt  tion  fotdicnt  ©etfte  fonntet  31)^  ba^  rcd;tc  £iel 
ntd)t  Derfeb^len!  Unb  fo  ,,fel)ret  bc:m  Gucr  ^eq  com  fyeutigcn 
Xage  unb  fitrberljin  baran":  :£?a«  Gud)  gcljolfcu  ben  ©runbftein 
Iegcn,ba§  tnirb  Gud)  ^clfcn  ben  33au  oodcnben  unb  ben  ooUcnbcten 
33au  t>crt)crr(i(^en;  ^attet  fcft  an  bicfem  ®ciftc  bc3  griebcn^ 
unb  bc$  uncrmiibetcn  frommcn  Streben^  nnb  bie  3^unft  Gurer 
©emcinbe  ift  gcfidicrt. 

2.  Stber  nid)t  nur  fitr  ben  cngen  3Serbanb  ber  @emetnbe3l{)amat^ 
Gljefcb  Ijat  bcr  f)cutige  Za$  feine  33cbeutung,  er  ift  Dtelmct)r  Don 
bebeutung^Doder  $?id)tti]!ett  fitr  alle  ifraeltttfdie  23nrol)ncr  biefer 
gro^en  95?cltftabt  97cra  9)orf !  Unfcr  ©ottcsliaii^  foil  irol)l  pna'djft 
ben  retigiofcn  ^Bcbiirfntffen  ber  (Mcmcinbe  btcucn,  n)cld)e  baffclbc 
erriditct:  ba  bringc  ba^3  bcfdnncrte  §crj  fein  2In(ici3cn,  ba^  frcubbc= 
gdicfte  (?cmittl)  fci::cn  ®anf,  bie  anbadjtig  gcftimmtc  <SccIe  iljrc 
bcm  STIjronc  bc3  Gipigen  naljc!  SOtann  unb  $raii, 
unb  ^ungfrau,  Stub  unb  ©rcis,  mie  ocrfdjicbcn  aud)  in 
5Utcr  unb  StcUung,  ba  foil  ifyncn  ^(((cn  nicrbcn  bie  erljabcnc 
^3clc()rung  unb  2(ufflarung  iibcr  ©ott  uub  fcin  fatten,  iibcr  ben 
SOtfenfdicn  unb  feine  53cftimm::ng;  b.i  foHcit  fie  ?lnwetfung  unb 
5lufmuntcrung  erljaltcn  jur  treucn  Uclmng  bcr  ^fHditcu^cklie  bag 
£ekn  un§  nad)  3llter  unb  ©tcllung  fo  Derfd)icbcnt(id)  aufcrlcgt. 
SS>ie  widjttg,  toie  Ijctlig  ermctfet  fid)  bie  33cfttmmung  bicfeS 


—  83  — 

fdjon  in  bem  3ir>ccfe,  wcldjcm  ed  fitr  bic  ©emeinbe  bienen  |oll; 
ober  fcine  33cbeutung  tft  bantit  nod)  nid)t  erfd)bpft,  bad  ©ottedljaud 
in  $\iati  l)at  fyeut^utage  and)  fcine  reprafentatine  8cite  nad)2(uften 
l)in,  unb  biefe  ©cite  tft  ed,  nicldje  bem  Untcrnel)inen  ber  em* 
jelnen  ©emetnben  einen  allgcmeinen  Character  unb  allgemeinered 
Ontereffe  gicbt. 

$n  ben  £agcn,  wo  ba3  Unfrant  bed  ©lanbenS^affed  nnb  ber 
©laubcnsoerfolgung  in  uoller  Uepptgfeit  nntdjerte,  ba  brangte  man 
Ol'vacl  suriicf,  man  fd}ranfte  ed  in  ben  Stdbtcn  ein  auf  etnen  engen 
elenben  9?aum,  ben  bie  gcfunbcftc  Cv^anfiofraft  nidjt  enncitcvn 
fonute,  benn  bad  25orurt()ct(  jog  eine  djtnefifdje  Waiter  um  ben 
anatljcmattfirten  ^iafc,  ber  bic  traurige  ^3cftimmung  Ijatte  bad 
©Ijctto  ju  fetn.  jDort  ftanbcn  Ofracld  ©ottcd^aufer,  nnget'annt 
unb  ungcaditct;  man  [ndjte  fie  nnr  bann  auf,  wenn  ed  gait  fie  in 
blinber  •  SButt)  ^u  jerftbren.  SBie  jur  ftrengen  SSSinterdjeit  ber 
@tront  unter  ber  bicfen  (iifedrtnbe  uugefeljen  ba^inwatlet,  fo  jog 
fid)  bad  religibfe  tfeben  3l'rtldd  inner^alb  feiner  abgefd)(offenen 
Cuarticrc  ungefeljcn  unb  ungefannt  baljin.  £)raufjcn  fannte  man 
ben  Ouben,  aber  ntdjt  bad  ^ubentfjum;  man  fal)  ben  Derfolgten, 
mubgeljcl^tcn,  qnalcnentfteltteit  3JJa'rttyrcr,  aber  man  fannte  bic 
Ijeitige  8ad)e  nid)t,  fitr  H)eld)e  er  in  erfyabenerSxefignatton  felbft  ben 
fd)auerttd)cnXob  bedCebenbigbegrabemccrbcud  p  bulbcn  entfd)loffcn 
mar.  SSad  SSunbcr  tt)enn  SSorurttiett  unb  JBatjn  it)r  SSerbam* 
mungdurtljeil  fpradjen  i'tbcr  cine  3ad)c,bcren  ^tcrn  unb  iScfen  iljnen 
frcmb  mar,  iibcr  2ttenfd)cn,  bercn  innered  rcidjcd  ©ciftedlcben  ifynen 
ftctd  cin  ©eljetmniB  biieb! 

£)em  ^crrn  fei  2)anf,  bie  frifcfye,  mtlbe  JritljUngdtuft  ber 
ncuen  gtit  Ijat  bie  Gifcdbccfe  gefdjmot^cn,  fret  uor  ben  Stugcn  alter 
SSclt  mallet  ber  ©trom  unfcred  geii'tigen  i^ebcnd  bal)in  in  feiner 
ganjen  2;icfe.  2luf  alien  ®cbicten,  weld)e  bic  Region  menfd)lid)er 
Xljatigfeit  audmadjen,  l)at  3ira£l  \t™  ^eprafentanten,  weldje  ben 
Siutngcnben  53eweid  fiiljren,  baft  bent  alten$olfe  junge  Xf)at- 
t'raft  inneiDofynt,  baft  tntr  ben  'Segcn,  ben  und  trcue  Srubevltebe 
iDcrben  laftt,  burd)  unfere  ^ii^lidjt'ctt  unb  Strffamt'ctt  reid)(id)  ju 
erftatten  im  <2tanbe  fiub;  bie  ncue  &it  Ijat  und  ind  bitrgerlidje 
Seben  iwicber  eingcfitljrt,  unb  rcenn  nadigcrcdjnet  mirb,  tnad  mir  fett 
biefer  tierbciltntftma'ug  fcljr  furjcrt  &it  far  bad  biirgerlidjc  8cben 
gemirlt  Ijabcn,  bann  fiinoaljr  mitft  ed  fid)  jei gen,  baft  roir  (£egen 


—  84  — 

empfangen,  aber  aud)  Segen  gcfpenbet  fyabcn.  Slber  ift  ed  benn 
genug,  u>enn  nnr  aiif  bent  ®ebiete  bcr  SSMffcnfdjaft,  bcr  $unft,  bed 
^anbeld  unb  ber  ^nbuftrie  ben  ^ubett  j$ur  ©eltung  gebradjt 
Ijaben  ?  9?ein,  bad  ^  u  b  e  n  1 1)  u  m  in  feincm  geiftigen  $ern,  in 
feiner  liditen  unb  erleudjtenben  $}cfenl)ctt  Dor  ben  2lugen  ber  25elt 
}ur  DoUen  ©eltung  $u  bringen,  bad  finb  nnr  und,  un[erm  ©lanbcn, 
unjerer  I)etligen  SWiffion  fd)  ulbtg.  S5Mr  follcn  bie  ^raft  cntraidcfn, 
tnetdje  un3  inneico^nt,  aber  roir  fotlen  ber  S£?clt  and)  sci9e^  ^cn  ^e- 
ben^quell,  au§  weld)cm  ttrir  ?cben  unb  ^raft  fdibpfcn  unb  gefdjopft 
^aben  git  alien  3eiten-  Unfcre  religtb|cn  ©efellidjaftcn,  unfere 
3Sof)ltfya'tigfettcfriftungen,  unjere  ^oepttalcr  unb  iffiaifcnfjaufer, 
uor  5lt(em  abcr  unfere  ®  o  1 1  c  d  f)  a  u  f  e  r,  fie  reprcif cntircn  5'fraci 
aid  ba§  ^ufammengeljovige  @lauben§oolf  bcr  Slu^cnirelt  gcgcnuber. 
irn/^  n^  nx  C3*.~b  nUnfcre  Sorgfalt  gu  rid)tcn  auf  bie  £>e= 
bung  unfcrcr  ©ottee^anfer",  ftc  imp  of  ant  Don  Stufeen  unb  efjr* 
furdjt^gcbietenb  uon  ^nnen  $u  gcftalten  unb  etn',urid)tenr  ift  un$ 
ijetUge  ^Pflid)^  unb  icbcS  neue  ©ottesljaiiS,  ba3  in  foldjcr^orm  unb 
3Sitrbe  erfteljt,  triigt  jitr  §e^un9  -Sfracls  in  ben  Slugcn  unferer 
anber§gliiubigen  SDHtbriibcr  bei  unb  ift  ein  fpredjcnbcS  3cu9n'B, 
Dap  bie  alien  ©ottcefampfer  aud)  im  ©Uicte  rreu  geblicben  finb  ber 
^•a^ne,  bcr  fie  im  Glcnb  unb  im  Vetbcn  Ijoffcnb  unb  Dcrtrauenb 
folgten,  bafj  nid)t  bie  §al^ftarrigfeit  bc3  Ungliicf^  un^  in  ben 
3=al)rl)unberten  ber  2luc«gcfd)loffenl)eit  feffclte  an  unfern  Ceiben^ 
geftifyrten,  ben  ifraelitifdjen  ©lauben,  fonbcnt  ber  inncre  gciftigc 
^ern  beffelben  ift  e3,  ber  unS  unlbelid)  an  i^n  fnitpft  unter  alien 
mbglid)cn  ^cdjfclfallen  be«J  ©efdiicfo!  £?cld)  einen  tiefcn  Ginbrucf 
muBte  e3  auf  unfere  anberSgliiubigcn  Srtibcr  Jjcroorbrmgen,  wcnit 
fie  fc^en,  tuie  bad  3irael  ber  neuen  $cit  mit  ber  alien  Cpfcrn)illig- 
fcit  fcinem@otte§ciligtl)itmer  baut!  3Bcnn  fie  feljen,  ir>ie  bad  freie 
unb  glitcflidje  3lrael  an  fciucn  uralten  (2abbatl)=  unb  gcfttagcn  bad 
.•pciligtljum  fcincd  @ottcd  in  frommcn  'Scljaaren  auffudjt.  SEMdj 
eincn  tiefcn  unb  bcinalttgcnben  (Sinbrucf  mn^  ed  auf  bicjcnigcn  ()cr- 
oorbringen,  bie  und  langc  ntdjt  fanntcn  obcr  ocrfanntcn,  incnn  fie 
unfere  ©ottc&Ijaufcr  betrctcn,  menn  fie  bie  einfad)Wal)rcn,  fd)lid)t= 
gemiitf)lid)cn  unb  tiefgetftigeit  <£a^e  entroicfeln  ^bren,  lucUte  bie 
©runblage  unfcrcd  ©laubcnd  audmadjcn;  ba  lerncn  fie  bie  l)cilige 
Sad)e  fenncn,  fitr  twelclje  $\raci  fo  lange  litt  unb  ftritt,  fie  lerncn 
bie  25crflnna,cnl)ctt  unfered  SSolfcd  aid  cin  er^abencd  3JJartl)rtl)um 


—  85  — 

f)od)ad)tcn  unb  bie  Anting  bcr  jufiinfttgcu  sBefttmniung  biefeS 
<$lauben3  in  fcincr  einfadjen  gbttlidjen  Safyrfyeit  bammcrt  auf  in 
itjrer  Seele.  $a,  jebetf  neue  ©otteSljanS  in  3tracl,  gebaut  auf  ben 
vedjtcn  ©runb,  bafynt  bent  Stdjte  cine  neuc  £rraf,c  unb  bcfampft 
bic  IctJten  Spnren  bee  23orurtl)eil3  unb  bed  &lal)nS.  Unb  barum 
fage  id),  bay  bag  SSerf,  iueld)e3  Qfy  fyeute  begrimbet,  einen  alfgc* 
mciiten  Character  tragt  unb  Don  allgcmeincm  3tttcve|"fe  ift  fitr  allc 
ifracltttfdje  Scmo^ner  bicfcr  Scltftabt;  benn  in 
foil  etn  ^Bau  erftel)cn  bcr,  im  ^crcine  mit  ben  itbrigen 
ben  jiibijd)en  Xempeln  btcjer  2tabt  jitr  ^cbnng  unb 
be3  ^ubentljum^  in  ben  Stugen  unferer  anbcr^glaubtgen  DJJttburgcr 
luitrbig  ba^  Setnige  beitragen  foil.  Darum  ftefjt  3l)r  itt  (Surer 
greube  nid)t  Derehtjelr,  barum  freuen  fid)  b,eute  fyeqlid)  mit  (Sud)  ad 
bie  ttwrbtgen  9?epra'fentanten  unferer  3d)ineftergemeinbcn,  bte  fid) 
freimblich  unb  tb.eilneljmenb  Ijier  oerfammelt  Ijabcn,  unb  barum 
rufe  id)  Sud)  matjnenb  ^u:  ,,33euor  Stein  auf  Stein  gcfiigt  wirb 
an  biefcm  Xempel  be^  Smigen,  ferret  guer  ^crj  baran  ton  je£t  an 
fiirberijtn",  ban  i^r  nnirbig  lofet  bie  gro^e  Slufgabe,  roeldje  ^fl)r 
(Sud)  mit  btefem  Unternefjmen  ftellet,  ba§  e^  ftetd  (Suer  Stol^  unb 
(Sucr  Ijeiltger  Sifer  bleibe,  ben  ©otteeglaubcn,  bcffen  Xra'gcr 
3f)r  feib,  treu  unb  roitrbig  jn  reprafenttren  dor  ben  Stugen  bcr 
ffielt! 

3.  Vlnb  enblid),  mcine  ©eliebten,  ^at  bicfcs  3£erf,  n>e(d)e^  loir 
Ijeute  bcgrunben,  feine  Ijo^e  Sebeittung  fitr  bad  gefammte  Qiraci 
Stmcrtfa'g.  J)ie  ®runbfteine  $n  unfern  ©otteeljaufcrn  fie  follcit 
bie  £cnffteine  einer  neuen  erfrentid)en  ^Ijafe  unferer  rcltgtbfcn 
^uIturfein,bie2)Zarfftetnecinerneuen  gldnjenben  (Spodje  in  unferer 
gldubigen  Gntratctclung. 

2>on  btefem  gefegnctcn  ?anbe,  Don  Stmerifa,  ging  ber  erfte  Oiuf 
ber  grcil)cit  auS  fitr  tin  fere  ©laubenSgenoffcn,  ber  erfte  3J?orgeu= 
gruB  enter  anbredjenben  beffcrn  gcit  fitr  bte  3crftreuten 
X()eilen  bcr  Sclt.  2Ba5  bie  ©nabeiiDerfimbigung  be3  ^c 
g^ru*  fitr  S\rad  tnar  ,,2«er  ttntcr  (gud)  Don  all  fcinem  iBolfe  ift, 
ber  Gnrige,  fetn  ©ott,  fei  mit  ifjm,  unb  er  ,tcl)c  l)inanf !"  ba?  war 
bie  @Ietdjl)eitc;erflarnng  trie  fie  Don  btefem  Staatcubunbe  $ur  (rl)re 
©otteg  unb  pr  (gljre  bcr  2}ienfd)l)cit  Dcrfitnbct  murbe,  fie  war  ber 
vSd)iitffe(,  lucldjcr  unS  bie  ^fortcn  ctncr  neucn  tljcuren  ^ctmatl) 
offnete,  fie  war  bie  ^rofiamatton  an  ba§  alte  ©laubeneoolf :  ,,Ser 


—  86  — 

feinem  ©otte  treu  bfeiben  will,  ofyne  barum  ben  Scgnungen  ber 
Crrbe  cntfagcu  ju  muff  en;  roer  ^itbe  fern  mill,  ol)ne  barum  cmf  bie 
9ted)te  bed  2J?enfdjen  ocr$id)ten  $u  miiffcn,  ber  (Sroige,  feiu  ©Ott, 
fei  mit  if)tn,  er  fomme  fyierfyer,  Ijicr  bffncn  fid)  il)m  bie  SJtutterarme 
einer  £>eimatf),  toeldje  fur  aHe  tfyre  £inbcr  bie  glcidje  tftcbe,  bie 
gletdjen  ©aben  fyat".  tlnb  rote  $ur  $eit  jcner  §eimfel)r  and  23abt)* 
ion  ber  ncugeironnenen  grciljcit  cine  ncucniiadjciibe  Xl)citi(\feit  auf 
bem@ebtete  be^@(aiibcn^  folgte,fo  bag  ber  ^roptict  ber  bamaltgen 
3eit  fagen  fonnte:  n@rb§er  icirb  fein  bie  §err(id)fcii  be§  ^ineiten 
XempeB,  benn  bie  be3  crften  ttiar";  cbenfo  fofgt  aud)  in  bicfem 
Sanbe  ber  unbefdjratiften  po(itifd)en  greit)eit,  mit  ivcldier  uno  ber 
^)err  Ijier  gefegnet  Ijat,  eine  rcge,  lebenbige,  DtelDerfprecfyenbc,  re(i* 
gtofe  Gntinicfctung,  aid  treiie  33egleiterin  nat^.  5tug'  in  2(uge  mit 
bem  Ccben  unb  fcincn  33ebitrfnifien  ftreift  ber  @Iaubc  3f^ict«  bie 
entftcllenbe  v^iitle,  n>eld)e  langja^rige  2J2if;t>erfta'nbniffe  unb  Iving- 
jii^vige  9J?i^gefdiicfe  iiber  benfelbcn  gcittorfcn,  admalig  ab  unb  jeigt 
fid)  in  feiner  ganjen  9?einl)ett  unb  ^larljeit,  in  feiner  gamen  irelt* 
erlofcnben Orope !  £iefc£  grofee ?anb,  ju  beffen 53itrgern  511 
roir  fo  glitcflid)  finb,  ift  ba§  Vano  ber  Gntintcfetung  unb  be>? 
ttjart^ge^cn^,  unb  rocnn  luir  ba3  emfte,  aufridjtige,  begcifterte 
(Srreben  im  3u^cn^ume/  ^  ^  \ty  ™  ^cu  fe^tcn  ^al) 
llier  geltenb  mad)tr  in  GTiraguttg  jie^en,  bann  fonnen  nnr  bie 
begriinbete  53ctjauptung  aufftellen:  So  wie  fyeute  bie  OJtiOionen 
(Stnniotjner  ber  alten  3S?cIt  mit  3el)nfud)t  l)eriiber  blicfcn  auf  bie 
politifcfje  3?crfaffung  bicfcS  Sanbc^,  fo  nnrb  in  ntdit  longer  geit 
ba§  ^frael  ber  altcn  $}clt  freubig  anerfennen  bie  gefegneten  Sieful* 
tate  im  ©cbiete  bed  gla'itbigen  3Birfen^,  tnctdie  unfere  Jljattgfcit 
f)ier  im  ^idjte  ber  ^yreitjcit  Ijabcn  nnrb  unb  fjaben  mup.  ©roB  ift 
bie  Slufgabe,  ireldic  und  nad)  bicfer  Oftdjrung  I)in  gcftellt  ift,  fie 
forbcrt  ernften  SBitlcn,  unerfd)itttcrlid)c  llcbci^cugung  unb  mannlid) 
cntfdifoffene  JI)atfraft.  9)?ag  fiir  eincn  3(ugenblicf  ba-3  l)cifige 
3trcben  ucrtannt  tt>crben,  ed  fann  nid)t  fclilcn,  bad  53erauBtfetn 
mnp  balb  in  und  3U(cn  crunidicn,  bap  irir,  ba«  Qh'Qd  2lmertfa'd/ 
baju  benifen  finb,  ben  altcn  (*lauben  alfo  ind  itcue  $cben  einjU* 
fit^ren,  ba^  jeber  2I?ibcrfprudi  frfmnnbe,  ba§  bie  en?ige  $?at)rfiett  bie 
rreue  unb  Dcrla'^tidjc  ^iibrcrin  fiir  un3  irierbe  auf  ben  Diet  Der- 
fdilungcnen  ^Sfabcn,  auf  bencn  fid)  unfcr  irbifd)cd  55?irfen  bafyin- 
^iefit.  Unb  jcbed  neue  ©otiedfjaud,  lueld)eS  eine  bebeutcnbe  ©e= 


—  87  — 

metnbe  reprSfentirt,  mup  auf  bem  ©runbe  eines  fortfdjrittlidjen 
3trcben3  gebant  fein,  mu§  fyelf en  biefe  grope  Slufgabe  jit  fb'rbern 
unb  311  Ibfen.  llnb  bariiiu  fage  id),  (Sucr  IjeutigeS  &3erf  tjabe  feme 
ABebcutung  fi'tr  ba3  gan$e  $\iad  Stmcrtfa'g  unb  baritin  matyne  id) 
(Sad):  H'cfyret  (5uer  §erj  baran  com  fyeutigen  £ag  uub  fiirberfyin, 
bap  biefed  ®ottc^t)au^  im  treucn  35ercine  ntit  ben  itbrigen  fort* 
fdjrittltdjett  ifraelttifdjen  ©otte^aufern  btefeg  ^anbc^J  unDcrbroj'fen/ 
cut[d)iebcn  unb  begctftcrt  arbette  au  ber^ofung  bcr  groBcn3(ufgabe, 
ben  ©(aubcn  3frael^  ju  erlofen  au3  ben  Ijcmmcnben  5e[[e(n,  unb 
il)n  in  fetner  gan^en  ©ctfttgfett  jur  2{nfd)auung  unb  §err|d)aft  ju 
brtngen,  iwte  ber  ^err  tl)n  bcabjtdjtigt  Ijat  sum  ©etle  fur  un3  unb 
bie  gan^e  9}?cn[d)I)ett. 

@o  moge  benn  Siter  Qvc\  geMjrt  fein  nad)  griebeit  unb 
frommer  ©trebjamfett,  nad)  witrbtger  SSertretung  beS  ^ubent^um^ 
ber  SBett  gcgenubcr,  nad)  unermitbeter  (gnttntcfelnng  im  ©eifte  beS 
gbttltd)en  ®(aubcn«,  bantt  lotrb  biejeS  (guer  §au§  ruljen  auf  feftem 
@runbe !  SImen. 


gefyalten  $ur  ^cicr  ber  €inrt>ci^un^  6es  Ccmpels  bcr 

Cfyefeb. 


,,§ebet  3t)r  Xljore  (guer  gmupt !  Oeffnet  Qndj,  ewtge  ^Bforten, 
ba§  ctn^iclje  ber  ^bnig  be3  <Rul)mc§!" 
SEBte  Ueb(td)  fd)(dgt  btcfer  greubcnruf  an  Gner  Ofjr,  lueld)  |u* 
betnben  2Biebev()all  finbet  er  in  (Suren  §cr3en,  3D1'  Scanner  unb 
Jraucn  ber  ©cineinbe  Slljamat^  Sljcfcb,  tjcittc,  luo  3I)r  (Sucre 
fromme  Opfenotlligfeit  gelront  fet)et  mtt  bcm  ®egen  bc§  §errn. 
2fttt  wcld)cr  tnntgen  Sefrtebtgung  I)bret  3h/r  biefcn  9Juf,  3^' 
treucn  Setter  unb  ^itfyrer  biefer  ©emeinbe,  bie  3^  bcfccltct  unb 
begciftertct  unb  anfcucrtet  jum  Untcrncljmcn  biefcS  I)eUtaen 
^BerfeS;  unb  3^)r  wacfcrn  Scanner,  in  bercn  §cinbc  bie  2lu^ 
fitt)rung  bcffelbcn  ge(egt  wurbe.  2Ba3  ber  ^falmift  in  ©otteS- 
bcgetfterung  etnft  gefungen,  ba3  ^abet  3*)r  in  treucr  ©otte^be= 
geiftcrung  geiibt:  ,,^id)t  gonne  id)  ©djlaf  meinen  2lugcn,  ntd)t 


—  88  — 

<£d)lwnmer  meinen  SSimpern,  big  nidjt  gefunben  ift  tie  Static 
bcm  (Srotgcn,  b,ergerid)tet  bie  SBofjnung  bem  iDJadjtigcn  3afoi>e. ' 
3Bie  bcr  Sacmann  forgfaltig  beiuadjt  feme  Saat  t>om  erften  £cime 
big  juv  oollen  $?etfe  ber  gefcgneten  <5rnte,  fo  fyabet  Sty  in  treuer 
Sorgfalt  geroad)t  iiber  biefen  33au,  oou  ber  £egung  beg  erften 
Steineg  big  er  nun  Dotlenbet  baftefjt  in  fciner  §crr(tdjfctt.  Unb 
nidjt  fefjnlidjcr  garret  ber  £3ad)ter  in  ber  3iad)t  beg  SUor^enrufe^, 
Q(^  (Sucre  Seele  ge^arvet  fyat  auf  biefen  9?uf,  ba^  Signal  ber 
3SolIenbung  SuereS  33erfe5.  Unb  mm  ift  er  ba  bcr  freubige  Jaa, 
ben  mir  oom  §crrn  crtjoffet,  ba  bie  Stunbe,  bie  un3  oerfammelt 
in  unfcrem  neugcgriinbetcn  3i°n-  Sd)wcllenb  fteigt  ber  2angc3* 
gru§  empor  unb  $ty,  burdjriefelt  »on  <2d)auern  ber  ^eittgfeit, 
b,arrct  be^  (Sinjuge^  benn  ber  Sonig  bcr  (Eb,ren  ^tel^et  Ijcran,  23efi§ 
ju  neb,men  Don  ber  £l)rone3fttitte,  bie  3^'it)m  bereitet  ^abt. 

3a,  ntcine  greunbe,  mertl)  ift  btefer  9?uf  einer  fold)cn  (2tunbe 
unb  roertl)  bicfe  2tunbe  eincS  foldjenftnfed!  Sie  gan^e  ®cbeu* 
tung  unferer  ie^igen  fttier  brangt  fid)  in  bcm  einen  Sa^e  \M- 
fammen:  ,,^ebet  $ty  Xfyon  Gner  ^>aupt !  Ceffnet  (5ud),  erotge 
^forten,  ba§  etnyefye  ber  £bntg  bc3  9^ut)me§!"  G?r  ift  ba^  Signal 
beg  DoUenbctcn  3Serfe^  aber  and)  ^ugleid)  ba^  ^ofung^wort,  ber 
SBecfruf  p  etncm  ncuen  SSerfe,  ba§  mit  bicfer  <Stunbe  fiir  und  be* 
gtnnt;  benn  bet  foldjen  Sci-fen,  mie  baS  unfere,  gilt  bad  SSort: 
K'2te  ^iefjen  don  £raft  gu  ^raft  unb  immer  ncilier  itjrcm  ©otte". 
3ft  bie  eine  Stufe  en-eid)t,  bann  l)et§t  e3  unoerbroBcn  roeiter  fTtmmen, 
big  bie  ganjC§ob,e  ift  erfticgen.  3ft  bag  ^aud  aug Stein  unb  2)ZorteI 
in  feiner  ftra^ienben  Sdjbnfyett  erftanben,  bann  gilt  eg  ben  geiftigen 
33au  aug^tfiib/ren,  bcr  bag  materielle  ^aug  »erf(arc.  3Bcnn  rctr 
biefen  s^>forten  prufen:  ,,Ceffnet  eud>!"  bann  ift  bag  ein  .guruf  an 
ung,  bie  ^forten  finb  ftumm  unb  tobt,  bag  £obre  t'cnnt  nid)t  ©ott; 
wag  £e'jen,  iuag  ©cift  b,at,  erfennt  ifyit  unb  oerfetjrt  mit  il)m;  to  ir 
mitffen  i()it  etnfii^ren  ben  ^crrn  in  fcin  ^eiUgtt)um,  ircnntmr 
luollcn,  ban  er  bei  ung  weile.  Sir  futjrcn  il)n  ein  in  bicfer  Stunbe, 
inbcm  mir  in  unfercm  ^crjcn  oerfpiiren  bie  23cbentung  beg  S5?crfcg, 
bag  U)ir  gcfdjaffen  mit  unferer  ^anb.  23tr  lucitjen  ein  ©ottee^aug; 
ipir  roeifyen  ein  ifraelitifdjeg  ©ottegtiaug;  inir  mciticn  ein  amerifa- 
ntfdi=ifraelitifdicg  ®ottcgl)aug.  Tieg  fetcn  bie  ^unfte  unferer 
^eftberradjtunij;  bieg  fcien  bie  brei  ^pforten,  burd)  mcldie  Ijeute  bet 
ung  ein^telje  @ott  unb  feme  Grfcnntntjs. 


Sir  Rieifyen  em  ©ottegfyaug.  Seld)  ttetttragcnbeg  Sort, 
tteldje  ftiille  won  3beeit  wecft  eg  in  ung,  nne  erfyaben  ift  bic  Sett, 
bie  eg  ung  erfrffliejjt! 

.$n  feincni  ©runbgebanfen  ift  bag  ©ottegfyaug  wcniger  bte  (§r* 
finbung  cincr  bcftimmten  OMigton  unb  inel)r  bag  natitrltdje  (vr= 
jeugniB  beg  reinen  3Kenfd)entf)iinw;  fcin  Sdjroerpunft  ift  ntdjt  in 
ben  $imme(,  fonbent  in  bie  48ruft  beg  (SrbenfobnS  ju  toerlegcn; 
im  ^er^cit  ift  fein  ^unbontent,  bort  ru^en  feine  Sdu(en,  toon  bort 
au3  bauen  fie  fid)  l)od)  auf,  bi'g  fie  ate  Puppet  ben  §tmmel  tragen. 
(53  ift  ein  fdjiuerer  ^rrtljum,  bag  ©otte£b,cm3  al^  bie  2(u^gebnrt 
einer  fitnftelnbeii  unb  beutelnbcn  ^Ijeotogie  jn  betraditen;  ^3ricfter= 
lua^n  ober  ^rieftertrug  mag  e6  an  fid)  rci^cn,  ib,m  ^effcln  anlegen 
unb  c$  3um  fdjnbben  Dienfte  ber  @eifte«faed)tirag  ntipraudjen; 
ba§  mag  3al)re  unb  3:at)^unberte  baucrn  —  uimmer  abcr  luirb 
bag  (^ottc^Ijaug  ber  33unbe3genoffe,  fonbern  immer  Oleibt  e§  ber 
gcfd)Riorcne  $tint)  alleg  beffen,  wag  bie  fjofyeren  Slnlagen  beg 
2)?cnfd)en  niebcrjufjalten,  nieberjubritcfcn  ftrebt.  Sein  -sBeftefyen 
fdjon  ift  cine  ^rteggerfldrung  gegcn  SBatjn  unb  Xrug;  (angfam 
aber  ftdjcr  fprcngt  eg  bie  geffetn,  jerrctpt  bte  -SBanbe,  befreit  fid)  unb 
mad)t  frci,  bie  eg  fnedjten  follte,  unb  erfitUt  in  ebler  ©ro§e  feine 
b,ob,e  Senbung:  ben  2)?enfd)engcift  unb  bag  2)?enfd)enf)eq  (^u 
bilbeu.  —  Sie  mag  ber  b,eibnifd)e  ^defter  fid)  gefrcut  b,aben,  toenn 
er  feiuen  Jcmpel  gefitllt  fat)  mit  opfcrfpenbenbcn  ^Bctenben,  bie  an- 
bad)tig  nor  ben  @o£en  (agtn,  bie  mit  ftnbUd)tm  ©emittb.e  bcm  fin= 
bifdjen  Guttug  jufah/en  unb  in  bem  ^riefter  ben  @ott  itjrer  ©otter 
Dereljrtcn;  wie  mag  cr  fid)  frot)  bte  §anbe  gcrtcben  Ijaben:  ,,2)ietn 
SEci^en  bliil)t;  wie  eifrig  fie  fommen,  wie  fro  mm  fie  bcten,  bie 
©otter  tl)vonen  fidjer  unb  tfjre  ^rtefter  fb'nnen  rut)ig  fd)(afcn !" — 
X>ie  23erb(cnbeten  afjnten  eg  nid)t,  ba§  ib,r  eigencr  Xcmpet  ben 
^ampf  gcgcn  fie  fiifyrte;  fie  tuupten  nid)t,  u>ag  betenift,  fie  erma§cn 
nid)t  bte  bttbenbe  9)Zad)t  ber  2tnbad)t.  $ann  man  ben  ^Blict  in 
fein  ctgcneg  3ntlere  ^b,ren,  ob,ne  aUma'Iig  jur  Grfcnntnip  fciner 
eb(ern  9?atur  ju  ge(angen?  ^ann  ber  SDJenfd)  fid)  forfdjcnb  in  fid) 
felbft  dcrfenfen  oljne  jene  raunberooHcn  Cuellen  jit  entbcd'en,  bie 
©ott  ifyrtt  in  feinem  §erjen  unb  in  feincni  ©eljtrne  crfd)Ioffen 
b,at?  —  CTiTin  r~2  n:i^i^D  Sie  bie  OJofe  jwifdjcn  X)orncn,  fo 


—  90  — 

blitfyete  felbft  unter  bent  ©aufelfpuct  bed  ©b£entf)umd  unb  trofc 
biefcm  ©autclfpucf  bie  2lnbad)t  auf,  mtt  iljr  bie  iSelbftcrfcnntnijj, 
unb  mtt  biefcr  Dcrbltd)  bcr  ©lanj  ber  falfdjcn  ©bttcr,  mtt  iljr  er= 
n>ad)te  bad  Sefjncn,  bad  (Strcbcn  unb  9?ragra  ehtf -JKadjt  ju  Wr* 
efjrcn,  bie  aid  f)bd)fted  ^bcat  gelten  fbnne  fiir  bad  Orrfyabcne  unb 
(Sble,  bad  ber  2ftenfd)  in  fciner  eigencn  yJJatur  finbet.  So  fampfte 
ttjve  eigene  3?cre^rungdftattc  gegen  bie  falfcfycn  ©otter,  bcr  Scfjlctcr 
bed  gel)ctmnipollen  ^tlbed  fanf,  trie  ber  2)fcnfd)  ben  Sdjlcter  non 
fetnem  eigcnen  ^er^en  Htftete;  ber  3rrtl)iint  fdjraanb,  ber  ©eift 
Hd'rte  fid);  bcr  £empel  roitdjd,  bte  ©otter  fanfcn. 

3^r  2lufgeflartcn,  3t)r  P'cten  5)en!er,  bte  3^r  (jure  53riiber 
gerne  Ijebcn  mbd)tet  tin  ^Dcnfen  unb  ft-itfylen,  fie  cin)"c^cn  modjtct  in 
iljrc  geifttgen  9?ed)te,  Qfyr,  fpredjct  nur  ja  nidjt  gegcn  ©ottedfyaud 
unb  2tnbad)tdftunben;  fcib  $ty,  wad  gu  fein  3^r  t>orgebet,  bann 
fyabet  3^  fctncn  treuern  ABunbedgenoffen  in  (Surcm  sBcrfe,a(d  bad 
©ottedljaud;  fctncn  uiacfcrcrn  33orfa'mpfcr  aid  jcne  Statte,  bie  2tUe 
einlabet,  2lUe  aufforbert  unb  2lUe  anlcitet  burd)  Sctbftoerebeutng 
mitiitfampfcn  ben  ^eiligen  $ampf  fiir  bie  gciftige  Gmanjipation  bcr 
3J?enfd)l)eit.  !Da§  ©ottedljaud  ift  ntdjt  (Sad)e  bcr  Gonfeffton,  tft 
@ad)e  bed  9JJenfd)entt)umd,  unb  bad  erfte  beftimmenbe  foment 
feiner  ^eiligfctt  ift  bie  2lnbad)t  berer,  bie  ed  betrcten. 

jDie  3bee,  bie  id)  ba  audfprcdje,  ift  nidjt  bie  Grfinbung  bed 
mobernen,  mtt  mad)tiger  §anb  niocUirenben  IHbcralidmud,  fie  ift,  in 
ifjrer  ganscn  grcifinnigfcit,  bad  Gigenttjum  jened  uraltcn  ^iberalid* 
nrud,  ben  unr  ^}fraeld  ^rop^etent^um  nennen.  (Sie  ivarb  audge^ 
fprodjen  ^u  enter  £e\t,  too  nod)  bad  ©ottccuolf  in  fetnem 
©ottedftaate  Icbte,  aid  bie  33crge  bie  fid)  rittgd  urn  3crilfa^m 
^obcn,  nod)  bte  fyofye  <2d)eibeuianb  bitbeten  jwifdjen  iljm  unb  ben 
iibrigen  9?bffcrn;  fie  ttarb  audgefprodjen  Don  eiucm  SDfanne,  ber 
bem  ed)tcn  ©ottedglaubcn  unb  ber  nwljren  (vottcoDcrc[)rung 
glii^cnb  bad  9S?ort  rcbcte:  9}?alead)i  fiefjt,  ttne  bcr  2cmpclbienft  311 
^ernfalctn  ttcrfa'llt,  alle  2lnbad)t  unb  3nntgfcit  fdjunn^ct,  unb  lute 
ein  ^brper  ol)ne  Sccle  blctbt  nur  nod)  bad  tobte  Jormcmnefcn 
juritcf ;  bent  3So(fe  ift  bcr  Gulrud  cine  gaft  nnb  nid)t  einc  Vuft,  bie 
^3ricfter  itbcn  il)n  aid  ^anbiucrf  unb  nid)t  aid  ^cr^cnSnycrf;  bad 
fief)t  bcr  ^ropljet  nnb  in  Ijeiliger  (gntritftung  ruft  cr  hit  9tamcn 
feined  ©ottcd  and:  „£),  ba§  fid)  Giner  unter  Giid)  fanbe,  bcr  bie 
Xljore  biefcd  ^aufcd  jufdjfoffe!  O,  bap  3()r  bod)  nid)t  Dcrgeblid) 


-  91  — 

geuer  cmf  meinem  9tttare  brcnncn  liefcet;  id)  fann  an  (Sud)  nidjt 
©efallen  ()abcn,  wad  foil  mir  ba  Gucr  Seifjgefdjcnf!  3el)t,  uom 
3onnenaufgang  bi$  jum  "Jitcbergang  ift  grojj  mein^iamc  iinter  ben 
5>blfcrn!"  "Jinn  war  $u  bed  ^ropljeten  ,geit  ^alafttna  an  ©otteS- 
erfenntntB  bic  Cafe  in  bcr  Sitfte.  il>on  2onncnaufgang  bid  jum 
Oticbergang  war  bie  iibrige  •Vtfenfdjfyeit  nod)  mit  3iad)t  bcberft;  t(jre 
©otter  waren  ©o^en,  i^re  £empet  ©b'^entempel,  iljre  Cpfer 
©o^enopfer;  unb  bod)  nennt  ber  ^)3ropl)et  biefc  ©b^enlcntpel  bie 
©otteijftdtten,  btefe  ©ofcenopfer  ba^3  retne  35>eit)ge[d)cnf  unb  er  fagt: 
n@rop  ift  metn  Ttaine  unter  i()nen,3^)l<  a^ier  ['lilicpct  ^u  bic'pfortcn 
(Sure*  §aufcvJ  unb  lofdjet  au3  ba^  geiter  auf  (Surcm  ^(Itar !"  ^>err= 
;  e^  briidt  in  fetnem  ganjen  Umfange  bcn@ebanfcn  au3: 
au^  ift  nid)t  <gad>e  ber  Gonfcffion,  ift  £ad)e  be>3 
9J2enfd)cntt)umvj;  cd  lefjrt  un^  mit  SSerefjrung  bUcfen  anf  jcbe 
Static,  IPO  ber^Jienfd)  fcine£)er5en^anbad)t  Ijtntragt;  e£  leljrt  un%, 
ba§  ©ottc^fjaud  nur  bann  aU  fo(dje&  betrad)ten,  iuenn  ba^  menfdj. 
lid)e  ©cmi'ttt)  bie  Seilje  aueftrbint  i'tber  ben  Oiaum,  ber  bie  53cten= 
ben  umfaffet.  !Diefed  3Sort  (etjrt  un^  bie  crfte  unb  nad)fte  ^3e= 
biugung  jur  ^eiligung  eine^  ;?(nbad)toorte^:  2Bie  bie  £onne  tagltd) 
tteu  auffd)cint  iiber  bie  (Srbc,  fo  mujj  innige  Stnbadit  immer  neu 
ineiljen  bae^auS  ,^ur  ©ottc^fta tte.  Hub  inenn  luir  in  bicfer^tuube 
fpred)cn:  liefer  9faum  fei  geioei^t  gum  ©otteSljoufc!  fo  ift  bie 
33ebcutuncj  biefe^  Sorted  feme  onbere  at?:  Sir  (egen  ba§  feierlid)e 
33crfprcd)cn  ab,  ntmmer  motlcn  luir  unfcre  luelttidje  ^crftreut^eit 
Ijier  fjcrcinbringcn,  ntmmer  luollcn  inir  in  ®cmiitt)^lecre  unb 
^pcrjen^falte  I)ier  oerweilcn;  bie*  fci  un§  bie  Statte  I)eitiger 'Samm^ 
lung,  ber  Ort  wo  tt)ir  alle  unfcre  irbifdjen  35erf)iiltniffc  pritfenb 
iibcrfdjaucn  wollen,  urn  biefclben  fo  rein  unb  gewcifyt  ju  geftalten, 
wie  c§  entfpredjenb  ift  einem  Scfen,  ba§  ba  gefd)affen  ift  im  Sben* 
btlbc  ®ottcd.  Glimmer  luollen  wir  biefcn  Oiaum  fo  bctreten,  bafj 
bcr  §crr  uon  und  fprcdje:  ,,Scr  bod)  bie  XI) ore  biefcS  ^aufcd  ju« 
fd)(icBcit  tuollc,  id)  Ijabe  uid)t  (befallen  an  QuAjl  fonbcrn  immcr  fei 
unfer  (5rfd)emen  burd)  ba^  rcd)te  §crj  baS  wir  mitbringen,  bad 
Scil)cfignal  fiir  biefed  ^>au§:  ,,£)ebet  iljr  XI)ore  (Suer  |)aupt, 
offnct  (Sud)  ewige  ^forten,  bcnn  mit  uns  jieljt  ein  ber  Sonig  ber 


—  92  — 

n. 

Unb  ntd)t  nur  Bttifyen  roir  ein  ©ottedfyaud,  tncfyr  nod),  roir 
roeil)cn  ctn  ifraelitifdjed  ©ottedfyaud.  SBcnn  fdjon  jcne  flatten 
Ijeilig  ftnb,  mo  bed  £>cr$end  2lnbad)t  gegen  bcu  3rrtl)uut  bed  ©eiftcd 
ben  tangcn  unb  fdjmeren  $ampf  311  fiil)ren  I)at,mieerftjene2tatten, 
luo  ein  fyelkr  ungetritbter  ©cift  bcm£)cr$en  »or(cud)tet  unb  ed  fidjcr 
fufyrt  bic  33al)n  bed  £>ei(d;  rote  erft  fene  Statten  mo  bic  Xtjora, 
bicfe  Magna  Charts  bcr  SDJcnfdjIjett  nifjet  unb  garret,  bid  adeSSelt 
iljrem  8id;te  ben  SJItd  erfdjlic§t!  Sraudje  id),  jur  grttarung 
btefer  ®teigcrung:  ,,nid)t  nur  ein  ©ottedljoud  fonbcrn  ein  ifraeli- 
tiid)ed©otte§I)audu,  metjr  ,511  tljun  aid  ^injuiueifen  auf  bie  crljabenc 
50Zi[fton  3fraeld;  unb  fann  id)  btefer  2#iffion  einen  inntgereit  unb 
5Utrcffenbcrcn  8(u*bru(f  oer(eil)en,  a(d  bie  attcn  ^ctjrcr  ed  bcreitd 
get^an?  £>a  lautct  ein  SSerd  ber  ^ctiigen  Sd)rift:  ,,Senn  etne 
^erfon  fid)  Derfiinbiget,  ba  fie  gctjort  bie  ©thnme  ber  ^Bceibigung 
unb  war  3cu9e/  ^  e^  9c!e^lctt,  unb  tv>ei§  ed  unb  fagt  e3  nid)t  aud, 
bann  I)at  fie  tl)re  Sitnbe  gu  bitten."  $n  {)crrlid)cr  SBeifc  wirb  biefer 
3a£  auf  ^Jfrael  be,ogen:  llralted  33olf,  bad  man  ©otteduolf 
nennt,  lucit  ed  bad  23olf  ber  OKenfdjfyeti  ift,(vud),(5ud)  bctrifft  btcfed 
SSort;  ifyr  Ijabct  geljort  bie  Sttmme  ber  53ceibiguug,  ^t)r  waret  bie 
Ch'ftcn,  bie  t>a  eingefit^rt  wurben  in  ben  33unb  be§  ©ciftcd;  3f)r 
fcib  ,3CU3CU'  ineine  3eu9ett'  fpnd)t  ©ott,  ba^  id)  bin;  Dor  mir  tt>ar 
Reiner  unb  nad)  mir  n)irb  Reiner  fein;  3Dr  ^)a^1ct  9efct)en,  benn 
Gud)  ift  bad  ©ciftedauge  juerft  gebffnct  worbcn  gu  fdjaucn  ba§  bcr 
eroige  llrgcift  ift  ©ott  unb  Reiner  fonft ;  $\)r  miffet,  bcnn  (Sud) 
inarb  ©clcgcn^cit  git  erfenncn  unb  ju  ©emitt^e  gu  fiifyren,  bay  fein 
ift  bad  9ictd),  in  ben  Qoljcn  wie  in  ben  £icfen.  3Senn  3^'  nid)t 
^tngel)et  unb  audfaget  Tint's'  CV,JD  iTjn  N^>  CK  »Jcnn  ^fjr 
nidjt  meinSBefcn  unb  meine  33a^rl)eit  unter  bcniColfern  ocrbreitct, 
bann  Ijabct^r  in.  fd)iDererSimbenl)aftigfeit(Surcn^Seruf  ocrfe^It! 
2(ber  ed  Ijat  il)tt  niemald  Derfe^It,  ^frael  iftbiefem^erufe  ftetd  treu 
gebliebcn,bcnn  unfcr  ©ottcd^aud  mar  ftetd  bic  fpredjcnbe  2)?a{)ttung 
gu  bcffen  grfiillnng.  2t(d  bad  crfte  ©ottedljaud  in  Ofract  crftanb, 
ba  lagcrte  bad  33otf  itut  fetne  uier  Scitcn  unb  trug  cd  ti'culid)  in 
feincr  9J?itte  auf  fetncn  3"5cnJ  ^entl  m^  ^icfem  Danfe  mar,  nad) 
bem  Sludfprudjc  ber  Sttten,  bie  gan,c  2BcIt  —  bie  2Bc(t  bed  ©eifted 
—  erftanbcn.  Wit  ber  (Srfd)Iie§uug  jencd  ^aufcd  crgtug  an  bad 
SSeltali  ber  9?uf:  $ebet  ^}f)r  £f)ore  (5uer  §aupt,  offnet 


—  93  — 

ewigc  ^forten,  baft  eut^iefye  ber  $ontg  bcr  (gfyre!"  2ftef)r  nod) 
jencd  |)aud  gab  Me  redjte  Slntwort  ouf  Me  widjtige  $rage: 
ift  ber  tihtig  ber  ©jren?  £)er  (Swige  3cbaotf)  if*  ^cr 
ber  (Sljren!"  £)iefe  $rage  unb  Mefe  Slntwort  ift  Me  ®efd)id)te 
£)einer  ©ottedfyaufcr,  unb  ift  3>ine  eigcne  ®efd)id)te,  o  ^frael ; 
Xvaten  fie  nidjt  an  £)irf)  fjeran  all  bie  (glemente,  iuie  fie  ber  8trom 
ber  ^3egebent)dtcn  an  bie  Dberf(M)e  brad)te,  ^re^ten  fie  £)ir  nid)t 
mit  gewaltiger  $Sud)t  immer  biefelbe  ^rage  auf  ?  Stnbere 
etn  @l)mbo(  unb  derefyrea  biefe^  (Symbol  al^  3e^)e 
was  ifjr  ©ott  fitr  fie  gelitten.  SBir  fonnen  ba3  ^ragcseicfjen  nad) 
ben  iucnigen  SBorten:  Scr  ift  ber  ^onig  bcr  (gfyren?  a(8  ba§ 
(Symbol  beffen  betrad)tcn,  wad  wir  fitr  unfern  ®ott  gelitten;  benn 
bicfeg  ^ragejetdjcn  Ijacfte  fief)  oft  tief  etn  in  nnfer  §erj  unb  Iie§ 
ben  l)ellcn  ^Slutftrom  baraud  fyerDorfdjiefccn,  uub  feber  Xropfen 
beffelbcn  war  immer  nur  bie  33eficgelung  ber  einen  imdercinber* 
Ud)en  Slntwort:  £)er  (Swige  ^cbaott),  er  ift  ber  $onig  ber  @t)ren! 
3Benn  ba§  §eibentl)um  feine  i^egionen  in«  $etb  ftctttc,  um  etn 
IjarmtofeS  ktdebfameS  33otf  gu  Derntdjten  unb  fein  ^eUtgtfjum  gu 
ftb'rcn,  um  wad  §Inbcred  tjanbette  ed  ficl)  ba,  aid  um  bie  ^3eant= 
wortung  bicfcr  &a$tl  SBcnn  ber  raffinirte  SBaI)n  fpatercr  (Jafjr* 
l)unberle  fcine  @d)eiter^aufen  tmb  SD^arterwerf^euge  tnd  $etb 
ftcllte  unb  trcue  nit^ttdje  33itrger  and  einer  fdjonen  teener  ge* 
worbcncn  §etmat^  jagtc,  um  wad  Slnbered  I)anbc(te  ed  fid)  ba,  aid 
um  biefelbe  ^rage!  Unb  wemt  bid  ind  te^te  ^aljrljunbert  I)erauf 
unfere  33iiter  redjtlod  geadjtet,  gct)a§t  unb  derfotgt  Warcn,  bann 
mi'tljet  (Surf)  nur  nid)t  ab  narf)  ©ritnben  unb  Urfad^cn  §u  fudjcn; 
ba  gab  cd  nur  einen  ©runb,  nur  eine  llrfad)er  al(e  ©(ut()ftrat)len 
bed  faffed  licfett  in  bcm  einen  ^Brcnnpunfte  jufammcn:  SBer  ift 
ber  Slontg  bcr  (gtjrcn? 

@ie  abcr  tterfimbtgten  nid)t  ib,re  ©eete  burd)  Slbtrimnigfeit  oom 
^3cwu§tfetn  il)rer  @eete,  fie  fonnten  ben  53unb  mit  (ijott  nidjt 
laffen,  bcnn  e§  war  ja  ber  ^Bunb  bc-3  207cnfd)cn  mit  bcm  3)icnfdjeits 
tt)ume,  bcr  53unb  bed  ©etftcd  mit  ber  (Swtgfeit;  fie  fonnten  il)r 
3eugnife  nidjt  untcrbritcfen,  benn  itjncn  war  unoerwifdjbar  einge* 
pragt  bad  ^etfige  ®ottedfiegel,  bie  SBaljrljcit!  S53ad  fie  erfdjauet, 
was  fie  cvrannt,  fie  fonnten  ed  nimmcr  nerleugncn,  bcnn  tfyeurer 
war  ifjncii  blcfc  grfcnntnijj  aid  irbifd)  ©ut  unb  trbtfdj  Sebert;  fte 
wolltcn  I:cbcr  fdjitlbtg  fctn  uor  3Kenfd)en  aid  fdjulbuj  nor  63ott,  ber 


—  91  — 

fie  gefenbet,unb  fo  gingcn  fie  benn  b,in  nnb  fitnbeten  unb  gaben  l)in 
fiir  biefe  $nnbe  £ebcn,  ^eimatl),  9fcd)t  unb  ?UlcS,  um$  bent 
2ftenfd)cn  bie  C?rbe  tfjeuer  madjt;  bie  Selt  uwr  i()ncn  etne  SSitfte, 
unb  in  biefer  grojjcn  unb  furdjtbaren  Siifte  fatten  fie  nriebcr  nicfyts 
ate  i()r  ©otte^ctt,  ba3  war  ifjr  Seben,  U)re  Dcimatfyifyr  $Redjt;  um 
btefc3  fd)aartcn  fie  fid),  biefeS  naljmen  fte  in  ifjrc  O^tttc,  ba^  trugen 
fie  unb  tion  bcm  tourben  fie  getragcn,  unb  frcubtg  jogen  fie  ben 
freubenlofcn  SSeg,  benn  nod)  intmer  tonte  ed  mit  (autcr  ©ottoj- 
ftimme  and  i^rem  ^>cingtl)ume  ber  SBett  entgegen:  «2Bcid)e 
^infternip,  ba§  Ijeranjic^e  bad  ^td)t;  tneidje  Safjn,  ba§  ^eran,ic[)e 
bie  SSa^rb^ctt;  tucidjct  tf)r  falfdjcn  ©otter  untcr  jebcr  ©eftalt,  benn 
e§  naljet  bcr  £onig  bcr  (5()ren!  Scr  ift  ber  ^onig  bcr  (?I)ren: 
X)er  eiDtge  Itrgeift,  ber  5lllbe^errfd)er,  ber  2lU()etlige  nnb  5l(I()eitU 
genbe,  Gr  ift  ber  ^onig  ber  (E()ren!  T)ie§  bie  (Sine  Slntinort,  baS  (Sine 
33efenntntjj  fiir  intmer!  —  2lUe  Strb'me  ftieGen  iu-3  3)Zcer,  alle 
©ottesfyaufer  in  ^fraet  entpfangen  ib,re  ^etttgfctt,  inbent  fie  ben 
Unenblidjen  fjeUigen,  unb  biefcr  uratten  ^cugcnfdjaft,  btefer  unge* 
trnbtcii  ©otte«funbe  fei  aud)  bu  geraci^t,  9?aum  unfercr  SInbadjt. 
S)ein  pd)ftcr  SdjmucE  unb  bcine  ^odjfte  $iw  bteibe  ftetd  ba3  unner 
falfdjte,  cdjtc,  \uelterlofenbe  48efcnntmt3: 


m 

Unb  enblid),  metne  ©eliebten,  tuir  luei^en  ein  omertfanifd)  ifra» 
®otte§I)au«!  23ie  bie  ^flanje  ber  8uft  nnb  be3  ^tdjtg 
bebarf  ju  tfjrem  ©cbetfjen,  fo  bebarf  ber  ©(aube  3!l"r(Kte  bcr  ^rci* 
^cit  ju  feinem  SSodjetljunt,  ,ju  feiner  ^Btitt^e.  £)arum  luar  and) 
bte  (Stntettung  511  bent  gropen  Offcnbanmggwerfe  ba-3  grope 
freiung^werf  in  (5gi)pten,  barum  brad)  bcr  ^>err  juerft  bie 
beS  8ctbc«,  e^e  er  bie  SBanbe  bc§  ©cifted  fprengte,  benn 
mni^n  hy  nr,n  ,mn^n  ®ciftesf«tt)ctt  unb  3d)ninng!raftigfcit, 
eblc3  53erou^tfctn"bc3  eclbftbcftimmung§red)t^  ba>3  ftnb  btc  ©iiter, 
bie  unfcr  ©laube  bcm  ©etfte  bictet.  Um  btefe  gu  oerfte^cn  unb  gu 
nritrbigen,  bebarf  c-3  cined  frctcn,  fclbftftanbigcn,  fd)n)ungfraftigen 
Cannes!  Ucbcr  bie  £ctte  ^inauS  aber  reidjct  felten  bcr  Sinn  be3 
©claocn;  gebt  itjm  bie  fyrci()eit,  unb  mie  bcr  cntfcffelte  Stbler  an* 
fang§  fid)  langfam  unb  fdjiner  erliebt,  bann  abcr  bie 


—  95  — 

fpanut,  bie  £iifte  buvd)fd)ueibet  unb  b,od)  empor  ^u  ben  SSoIfen 
fegelt,  fo  geiuiuut  bie  5ce(e  bc3  Sefretten,  aufangS  aUmaltg,  uub 
eublid)  gau}  uub  Dolt,  bie  ghigfraft  un'ebcr;  ober  bie  ®ette  mufj  ge* 
brodjen  roerben,  fonft  f)b'ret  -$f)r  felbft  im  fitfynften  ©ebanfcn  be3 
©efangenen  ba§  ©eraffel  feiuer  Arite  nadjtb'nen.  £>en  treffeubeu 
33eleg  fitr  btefe  2Saf)rf)eit  liefer!  uu§  Ofroet.  2Bir  fprodjen  uut 
doller  SBiirbiguug,  mit  ^>od)ad)tuug  uub  33egetfteruug,  it)te  bie 
3Sorfaf)reu  311  alfeu  3c'ten  tl'eu  blteben  tljrem  ^3erufe !  2Bie  beu 
SBedjfet  tiou  8id)t  uub  ginfteruiB  in  ifyrem  ©efdjicfe  fie  uimmcr 
ttaufcub  madjeu  fouute  iu  i^rem  33efeuntmffe  uub  bod)  tb'utteu  un'r 
uttS  uid)t  Dcrfd)(ie^en  ben  gro^eu  Unterfdjieb  mab.rjuue^meu,  ber 
ba  obwaltet  im  gliiubigeu  ©cifte  ^froel^  ju  3^tteu  beS  ^rud^  uub 
ju  3etten  ber  ^reib,eit.  !Die  ©etbftftaubtgfeit,  bie  ^rctfyeit  im 
etgeuen  ?anbc  er,og  ifiueu  9Jidnucr,  au6  bereu  jebem  Sorte  ber 
©djall  ber  Ijerrtidjcu  ^etljett^pofauue  burdjtont,  fie  luoHcn  3fraet 
grog  uub  uid)t  Hcinlid)  im  ©(aubeu.  ,,§od)ge(obt  fet  ber  §err, 
lueit  I)iuau§  iiber  bie  ©renjen  3frael§"  ba§  war  t^r  leiteuber  ®e- 
baufc;  fie  erfauutcn  bci3  ^enfdj^eitertofenbe  uub  ©eiftbefreieube 
im  SBorte  be^  §erru  uub  fie  fa()eu  dorau^,  ba§  eiue  £cit  fommeu 
lutrb,  luo  alle  ^b'(fer  fpredjen  inerbeu:  §au§  ^afob^,  f'ommet  uub 
laffct  uu^  gemeinfam  luaden  im  £id)te  be^  §erru!  @te  baueteu,  bie 
tref flidjcu  -Saumeifter,  uub  iu  bem  propfjettf djen  ©djrifttt)ume  l)iuter- 
lie^eu  fie  unS  beu  ^errlidjeu,  ^ob,en  uub  Hdjten  ®om,  iu  bem  fidj 
etnft  bie  SDlcnf^dt  begegucu  uub  oerbritberu  lutrb.  —  ®ie  ®etbft= 
ftanbigfett  warb  gebrodjen,  bie  tfrctfyeit  geraubt,  be§  9?omer§  ^Baubc 
umwauben  3ubcia'§  Seib,  and)  ba  fyatte  Qftad  fetue  gro^en  gtau* 
beu^treueu  uub  geifte^ftarfeu  OJiduuer,  abcr  uid)t  bie  ^rcit)eit*po- 
fauue,  foubcrn  ba3  ^ettcugeraffel  tonte  burd)  jebe^  iljrer  $3orte. 
?Iud)  fie  dcrarbciteteu  bie  ^ob.cu  SSatjr^ettcn  ber  ©ottesteb.vc,  aber 
uid)t  mcljr  gu  lueiteu,  toett*  uub  meufd)I)eitumfpauueubcu  ^treifcu, 
fouberu  fie  geftaiten  fid)  a(5  ^ette  um  beu  8eib,  obcr  bcffer  urn  beu 
©eift  be§  3ubentI)umS,  ba3  Slbbtlb  ber  Hetter  bie  fie  trugcn.  2Iiul) 
fie  bauteu,  bauteu  au^  trcfflid)em  Material,  abcr  ifyr  33au  ift  eine 
9iiugmaucr,  t)od)  uub  ftarf  geuug  ben  $eiub  abju^attcn,  nber  nidjt 
tjelt  uub  lid)t  geitui],  ben  ^reuub  ju  empfaugeu.  !Ceu  3lbftaub 
jwifdjcn  ^ropfjettginua  unb  Xalmitbi^mn3  erflart  i^r  Gud)  am 
53efteu  burd)  ben  Slbftanb  ^luifdjcn  ^rci^ett  uub  ^ued)tfd)aft.  £ie= 
felbe  (grfd)eiuuug  bcuiii^rt  fid)  ^afjrfyunberte  fpd'ter.  ^n  8pauien, 


—  96  — 

beoor  ber  Sdjroefctregen  bed  ^anatidmud  ben  Sinn  biefed  ?anbed 
Dertefyrte,  btitfyete  ^iraet  im  £id)te  bcr  $reif)eit  nnb  ®Ietd)bercd)tU 
gnng,  itnb  fielje  ba,  ber  ©eift,  ber  fid)  bort  entroitfelte,  ttar  em 
©eift  bed  ^roptjetentljumd;  retigtd'icd  £enfen,  retigiofed  Sieb 
ttwrben  bort  gur  fyerrlidjcn  grud)t  ge$eitigt.  $i\  $ranfreid)  itnb 
£)eutfd)Ianb,  too  ,$ur  felben  &it  3frael  gebriirft  unb  Dcrfolgt 
ttiurbe,  ba  lourben  an  bie  $ette  ^etttetn  gefdjnticbct,  nuf  bie  9ttng- 
maucr  ^itrmiein  gebaut  —  bie  ^mladja  fanb  ba  ifyre  ctfrige 

^flege! 5)er  jiueite  ^efaja  inu^te  cd,  wtc  tt>id)tig  ba^ (Element 

ber  grei^eit  fur  bie  glaubige  (Sntwicfelimg  3i"rael3  ift,  unb  er  ncnnt 
ben  I)  e  t  b  n  i  f  d)  e  n  ^onig,  ber  tljm  btefe  ^reib^eit  tnicbcr  gicbt, 
ben  'n  rvii'S  ben3)?e[fia3bcg(5rotgen,benn  iner  bcn90^cnfd)cn  5rci- 
^eit  bringt,  ber  ift  bcr  2fteffta8  beS  £>errn.  Unb  fonncn  rotr  nid)t, 
gettebte  ^reunbe,  mtt  gletdjem  9?ed)te  biefeS  2anb  ben  S3otcn  ©ottc^ 
nenncn?  £)at  fid)  un§  ntd)t  b,ier  etne  Itebenbe  ^eimatl)  aitfgct^an, 
bie  itnS  mittterltd)  aufna^m,  aid  nod)  ber  grb'fcte  Jljeit  ber  (grfce 
unS  ftiefmuttevlid)  t)crftte§.  ^Denft  an  eineS  jcner  triiben  finftcrn 
©otte§I)d'ufer  auS  ber  attern  3e^^  ^ie  ib,r  fie  nod)  britben  in  ber 
alten  £>eimatl)  finbet,  bercn  ^3au  fd)on  sn  fagen  fdjien  :  C'psi/'oa 
/n  *pn«"ip  »2lu3  ben  Xiefen  rufe  id)  bid),  o  ©ott !",  bercn  biiftcre 
fcudjte  9JJaucm  bie  ^lage  imfered  S3oIIe§  emporjuinetnen  fdjicncn 
junt  ^immel,  unb  ttergleidjet  e§  mit  biefem  trautcn,  b,ettern, 
fd)u^e6fid)ern  9?aume,  ben  intr  eben  jum  ©ottc3b,aufe  niei^en,  unb 
3fljr  ^abt  ba6^3tlb  beffen,  wa«0lracl  War^  e^e  bicfc*8anb  iljm  eine 
,fjctmatl)  bot,  unb  iua8  c3  Ijicr  geraorben.  -3d)  tuill  nidjt  fprcd)en, 
tuie  t)tete§  biefeS  2anb  fitr  ba33lufbluf)en  itnfcreS  matericllcn  SSoIjI* 
ftanbcS  getb,an;  bie  3cit,  bie  mir  pgcmeffen,  ift  no^c^u  erfdjopft, 
unb  »te  Dieted  ware  ba  auf sullen;  toad  id)  aber  b,ier  betoncn  unb 
b,eroorl)eben  loill,  ift  bieS  Sine:  @eit  Q\tatl  feine  erfte  §cimat^ 
oertaffen,  Ijat  e3  nod)  nie  etn  ^anb  betreteit,  bad  iljm  fo  Ijeimat^lid) 
Derroanbt,  bad  i^m  tin  ^Berufe  fo  iDafylDernmnbt  gewefen,  aid 
Slmertfa.  SJtcfcd  Sanb  mb'd)te  id)  bad  Ofrael  ber  ^Jolitif,  unb 
Ofrael  mod)te  id)  bad  5lmerifa  bed  ©eifted  nenuen.  5Cu  groped 
?anb  bift  fitr  bie  OKenfd)^eit  ber  §erolb  potitifd)er  grei^eit,  iriir  bie 
33otcn  ber  geifttgen.  SBad  tt)ir  33eibe  feiern  ift  ^rcitjeit;  unfer 
^epadjfeft,  an  beffen  ©djraelle  loir  eben  ftcfjen,  weiljet  itnd  jum 
33o(fe  ber  ^rei^eit  fiir  alle  3ctt,  unb  tjeute  »or  97  ^atjren  fampftcft 
X)u  bie  erfte  beiner  Unab[)angtgfeit5fd)lad)tenr  tocldje  luicber  etn* 


—  97  — 

fitfyrte  bie  ftieiljeit  in  bie  2Beft.  £)eine  ©rinnerungen  finb  unferc 
(Srinncrungen;  tmb  gefegnct  fct  baftftobettfen  bcrcr,  btc  ba  blutcten, 
bie  ba  fielen,  fie  bluteten  imb  fielcn  fitr  ba3  §cil  bcr  SWcnfd)* 
fyeit !  SBtffet  il)r  nun,  ttas  id)  bamit  fagen  'mill:  2Bir  tncifyen  ein 
amcrifanifd)  ifraclitifd)c8  ©otte3b,au§  ?  SBie  bcr  altere  3)id)ter  Don 
unjercr  uralten  §eimatl)  fang,  fo  mbdjte  id)  toon  bicjcr  itnferer 
neuen  ^citnatl)  fpredjcn  TJSIX  TIN  maiz;j  "n  bcr  ®celc  Scbcn  ift 
unS  bie  8uft  biefe3  ?anbes;  in  beiner  Shift  gebet^t  unfcr  ©laube, 
in  bctner  ^uft  ftrcift  er  ab  bie  H'etten,  bie  £>enhna(e  ber  ^Inedjt* 
fd)aft§jcit,  unb  tt>ad)t  ^eran  jum  groBen  njetterlbfenben  ©ebanfen, 
raie  il)n  bie  ^5rop^ctcn  bad)tcn. 

Saffet  nn§  bred)en  bie  £ettcn  nnb  ^ettletn,  unb  ftatt  ber  3?ing* 
mauern  mit  ib,ren  £f)UrmIein,  taffct  ib,n  un6  I)od)  aufridjten  ben 
lid)ten  ®om,  ber  bie  Ucberfdjrift  tragt:  ,,1)cnn  SKcin  ^aud  folt  ein 
Sct^auS  fctn  fiir  afle  33b'tfer".  gaffet  un*  mit  2J?adjt  erfd)lie^en  bie 
^Pforten  biefeS  ®ome§:  ,,1)a§  einsiefje  ber  tb'nig  beg 


ubcr 

Dr.    €6uart»    £asfcr. 
®el)altcn  im  Slempel  (gmanucl,  97.  3).,  am  10  ^>anuar,  1883. 


@3  ruft  uttd  bie  Srnnbe  in  ifyrer  crnfftn,  truueroollcn 
tung  ,}ur  ^3olljtel)img  etncr  bcr  b/bd)ftcn  unb  ^eiligfteu  s^ftid)ten,  btc 
bent  gctftbegabten  SBefcn,  bcm  aJicnfdjen,  obliegen.  <2te  vuft  unS 
gur 2lucrfcnn:mg  bcrvJJicnfd)entugcnb,  gur  SBiirbigung  bcr  9}fcuid)en= 
0i6J5e,3ur  ernftcn  S3cfd)auung  bcr  33crniirftid)ung  bc^  ^bcal^  eineS 
2J?annc§  trie  cr  fcin  foil;  benn  biefcS  ift  ^^alt  unb  53ebeutung 
ber  Uraucrfcicr  iiber  eincn  9)2ann,  trie  £)r.  (gbuarb  8a§!cr,  beffcn 
abgefdjtoffcnc^  l?eben  ein  reid)c?  2et)rbucl)  ber  3JJcn[cI)entugcnb,  in 
alien  Kjrcn  Sibftufungcn,  bilbet. 

S3  ift  ein  llnterfd)icb  jinifdjcn  bcit  S^rancn,  bie  ber  (Sinjetne 
feineut  ocrlorncn  XI)euren  nadjweint,  unb  jcnen  Xljrcinen,  tcte  fie 
ein  ©tamm,  cine  Nation  obcr  bie  gan^e  2?cenfd)t)cit  ucrgteBt,  wcnn 


—  98  — 

enter  tfjrer  ^ropljeten,  gteid)fam  im  feurigcn  ©efpann  be§ 
au3  bem  $reife  feineS  gefegnetcn  SirfcnS  ju  jener  §bf)e  entritcft 
nn'rb,  bie  ben  Uebertebenben  imr  burd)  geiftige  Slnfdjawmg,  burd) 
(Srinnerung  erreidjbar  ift.  $n  bcibcn  fallen  fptegclt  fid)  n>ol)l  ba§ 
33ilb  bcs  33etraucrtcn  in  bcr  ©(jjpnetgratyerle,  bie  bem  $uge 
entqutltt;  aber  tm  erften  $alie  ift  c$  ber  pcrfimUdje  ©djmers,  ber 
baS  53tlb  be^  !Da^tngefd)iebencn  tautcrt  iinb  ticrflart;  tin  jmeiten 
$allc  ift  e§r  «mgefei)rtr  ba§  ftraljlcnbe  Stdjtbilb  b 
tt)eld)e§  ben  ©djrnerj  abelt  unb  gur  SSoff^tugenb  toerHart. 
erften  gatle  mbd)tc  bcr  2!rauernbc  fein  ganje^  (gclbft  bem 
lornen  nadjfenbcn;  tm  ^roeiten  ^alle  ftetjt  ber  <£tamm,  bie  92aticn, 
bie  ^enfdjljeit,  hne  etn  ©Itfdja  ba;  ernft  unb  gcbanfcnooK,  bem 
^Da^tnjief)enbenSlija^u  nad)b(t(fenb  unb  nad)betcnb:  ,,O,  ba^  bod) 
£)ein  ©eift  gwiefad)  bet  un§  bficbc!" 

SSc(tgefd)id)tlid),  trie  bie  JScbcutung  oon  @buarb  ?a§fer'§  8eben 
mar,  ift  toettitmfaffenb  aitd)  bie  Straucr  iibcr  fcin  olljufrittje^  §in* 
fdjeiben.  ^)ter,  in  ber  2lnbad)t§ftatte  bcr  erften  unb  gro^ten 
©emeinbe  feiner  ^onfeffionSgcnoffen  in  ber  neucn  SBcIt,  ftel)t  auf* 
geba^rt  jcin  ©arg,  abcr,  iiber  9J?eere  unb  £onfeffionen  l)intt>cg,  rci. 
Ijen  fid)  bie  SSoIfergritppen  mit  un§  um  biefcn  <Sarg.  !Die  greitnbe 
ber  93ol!§freil)eit  unb  bc§  ^Red)t§,  au3  a((en  9?ationen,  i»ol)in  fein 
57ame  unb  bie  $unbe  feine^  SSirfen§  gebvungen,  —  unb  too  fanntc, 
too  nannte  man  itjn  nid)t  mit  8tebe  unb  §od)ad)tung  ?  —  fie  5ltte 
finb  mit  un§  derbritbert  in  nnfercm  (Sdjmcrje  iibcr  fcin  fritfyeS  §in* 
fd)eibcn.  ®ie  ganje  20?cnfd)Ijctt  ift  fcin  Seibtragcnber;  benn  in  ifym 
oerlor  fie  ben  begeifterten,mad)tt)oUen  ^rop^eten  ber  gro|len,Do(fer* 
erlofcnben  ^rtn.jipten. 

!Die  ©enicn,  bie  ifjn  burd)'§  Seben  fiiljrten,  fie  fteljen  trauemb 
an  fcincr  53a^re.  <SeItcn  I)abcn  fie  fid)  fo  Deretnt  gctroffen.  ©clten 
^aben  fie  etncn  <£d)it£ting  gcfunben,  ber  e§  fo  Dcrftanb,  au§  ben  cin= 
jelnen  (£tral)Icn  bie  fie  boten,  bie  £ugenbfrone  fitr  fein  bcgnabete^ 
^>aupt  311  flcd)ten. 

SDic  33cfd)eibenl)eit  Beitgt  tief  ifyr  §aupt  unb  feufst:  ,,|)ter 
Ijabe  id)  tm  5Tempel  loabrcr  menfd)lid)er  ©rope  getljront;  in  il)m  ift 
mtr  eiu  ^ctfigtljum  gcrftort  I"  :Die  ©  e  m it  1 1) « i n n  i  g  I c  i  t  ruft  doll 
Set):  ,,Sin  fd)(id)tere§,  biebercreS  unb  ftnMidjercS  ^>cq  al^  ba§ 
<£ctne,  Ijot  uie  unb  nimmcr  gcfrfjlagcn,  —  ad),  ba§  eS  fo  fritl)e 
frille  ftanb I"  ®ie  SSeItwei§I)cit  tcgt  bet itmmcrt  ifjre  miittcrlidje 


-99  — 

auf  feme  fyofye,  cMe,  ttunmefjr  falte  <2tirn:  ,3ieifter  ber 
gid)tgcbanfcn,  in  btr  gefyt  mir  cm  treuer  ^linger  imb  ben  2)ienfd)en 
etn  nicifer  t'cljrmeifter  toertorcu!"  $)cr  patriotism  u«  fenft  fern 
ftoljcS  banner:  r(*inen  trcucrn  (£otm  feines  $atcr(anbc3,  einen 
opfcrnn'Utgcni,  mutfyigcrn  unb  au^baucrnbcrcn  $anipfer  fitr  ben 
ttatjren  9?ut)tn  unb  ba3  ttmljre  £>etl  feiner  DeimatI),  fyat  e§  nidjt 
gegcbcn.  Gr  ftct  em  Opfer  tm  I)eiitgen  ©tenfte.  Untcr  beit  53eften 
imb  (Sbelftett  be3  beutfdjcn  3?aterlanbe^  iwtrb  immer  fcin  9tame 
glorretd)  glangen!"  Unb  btc  ^J31)ttantropie,  fie  blicft  tit  inniger 
tfiebe  auf  bie  im  Jobe  nod)  fo  utilbcn  unb  fo  liebeoollen  $ii$t  be§ 
©d)(umnternben  nteber:,,  <2o  Diel©elbft  unb  fo  ttienig©e(bftfud)t! 
©old}'  rctd)c  ^Begabimg,  l)tngegeben  fitr  ben  einsigcn  £\vcd,  bie 
SD7enfd)en  gu  begliicfen!  ©djfnmmere  fanft!  SBirb  etnft  ba^ 
ertjabene  3^^  erretdjt,  ba6  bn  fo  aufopfernb  angeftrebt,  bann  luirb 
bie  gtiidlidjere  OWenfd)t)eit  bid)  unter  ifyreit  gro^ten  2Bof)ltl)citevn 
nennen  unb  preifen!" 

^a,  er/  beffen  S3erlnft  luir  fo  tief  betrattcrn,  er  mar  bag  ^beat 
be$  9}Janne«,  tuie  er  fein  foil.  SEtr  I)aben  gel^ort,  inte  ber  ganger 
bc^  2lttertl)um^  bicfeS  3b£(U  fo  fur  5  unb  f(ar,  fo  noil  unb  lua^r  be* 
fdn-etbt:  w2Bcr  barf  l)inan  ben  @otte£berg?  SEBer  barf  ftctjcn  an 
tjeiUger  ©ta'ttc?  SBer  rein  an  ^a'nben  unb  tauter  am  §eraen>  toer 
ber  ^alfd)()eit  feineSeelc  nie  jugeneigt,unb  tuer  bemXruge  nicmals 
jugefdjtDoren."  Unb  ttiir  l)abcn  aud)  gcljbrt  bie  flange 
Xrauerltebe8,  ba§  fid)  bem  fd)nter3gepre§t 
entrang,  al3  bie  fdjraere  ^unbe  Dom  p(o£ftd)en  Xobe  fcine^  groRen 
^Jatrtoten  Ijinitber  fam.  3Da  lautet  bie  (aptbarifdjc  ^3efdireibung 
feiner  ^erfontidjfcit: 

3u  mad)f  gem  2lrm  weld)'  reine 

treue  53ruft  f  itr'd  33atcr(anb  ! 
ftanb  etn  $elb  cr  im  ©efcd)t, 
2Bat)rI)eit,  greiljeit,  unb  fiir 


£)icfe  Sle^nltdjfett  stt)tfd)en  bcm  alten  ^falnt  unb  bent  junger. 
Strauerlicbc  ift  nid)t  cine  jufa'Uige;  fie  ift  in  bent  unocra'ubcrltd)en 
©efe^e  ber  l)b't)crcn  9}?ora(  bcgri'mbet:  fdjiucr  ift  fd)on  in  ben 
^icbcrungen,  in  ben  cugcrn  unb  bcfdjctbenern  ^rctfen  bc5  1'cbenS, 
fur  ben  Sftcnfdjen,  fid)  bie  ©runbbebingungcn  femes  2BcrtI)c§  unb 
feiner  Si'trbc  ftcts  ungcfcfjtnalcrt  ju  bcmal)rcn.  3:c  fyolicr  Ijinan  eS 


—  100  — 

geljt,  je  luetter  ber  $re;§  be$  Sirfen£  fid)  befynt,  befto  !omplijirter 
tterben  bie  glemente,  bcfto  grower  loerben  bie  $onflifte,  befto 
gltinjenber  itnb  locfcnber  luerben  bte  23erfud)ungeit  unb  befto  fdjtoerer 
ttrirb  e$  baritm,  aud)  btcfe  9Iufgabe  ju  lofcn!  Gincr  ber  bebeutenb* 
ften  Slrbctter  im  tt>id)tigftcn  $rcife  be3  tnenfdjlidjcn  (SdjaffenS, 
unaufljbrlid)  umlagert  Don  $onfliften  unb  SBerloduttgen,  gelang  e^ 
bennodj  unferem  gro^en  33ctraucrten  ben  ©otte^berg  ber  mcnfd)- 
licfyen  ©ro§e  ^inan^ufltmmcn,  rein  an  Danben,  (autcr  ant  §er3en, 
ben  madjttgen  @ctft  ftet6  unDerritcfbar  auf  SSafjrljett  unb  9?ed)t  ge- 
ridjtet;  ba§  madjte  (Sbuavb  Sa§fer,  ben  (StaatSmann  unb  ®efe^- 
geber  be8  neun^etjnten  ^^^unbcrtg  jur  S3ermirfltd)ung  beg 
uratten,  cbeln  3J?annc5ibea(§;  unb  ba§  madjte  (Sbuarb  ?a§fer,  ben 
treuen  ©oljn  be3  often  53unbe§,  fitr  ^tejentgen  bte  nod)  baran 
jlpetfeln,  $um  Ieud)tenben53ett)ctfe,ba^  ber  ©ctft  bc§  t^eiltgen  (Scfyrtft* 
tl)um8  fetne^  (StamntcS  9!}?enfd)Crt  er^ietjcn  lt)tlt  unb  gu  er',tel)en 
Dermag,  bte  £kvbt  unb  (£egen  finb  fitr  atle  i^iinber  unb  fitr  alte 
3eiteu. 

Unb  nun  tft  er  ^etntgegangen. 

SBare  oon  britben  ^eritber  ju  un§  bte  $unbe  Don  ^Dr.  Sa^fefg 
Xobe  gelangt,  fie  ^atte  ntd)t  toerfe^lt,  itjren  ttefen  unb  ntodjtigen 
(Smbrucf  $u  mad)en.  >Da§  amcrtfanifdje  S3otf  im  SItfgemeincn,  bag 
bte  ©ro^e  gerne  witrbigt,  ico  ed  fie  finbct,  t)atte  in  t^m  ben  §eim* 
gang  eineg  gropen  Cannes  bebcmert;  bie  !Deutfd)en  in  3tmerifa,  fie 
tjiitten  in  il)m  ben  S3crluft  einc«  libcralcn  @efe^geber§,  eine^  trenen 
'•patrtoten  betrauert;  unb  h)tr,  feine  ©fcmbenSbriiber  ttt  btefent 
l^anbe,  fatten  eS  fid)er(id)  tief  unb  fdjmerjltd)  empfunbcn,  bap 
3frael  in  iljm  einen  fetner  iritrbigften  93ertrcter  berloren  Ijabc,  bar 
ftcts  im  fyeittgcn  ^orne  unb  mit  miid}tigem  5lrmc  jebe  S3crun* 
glimpfung  abii3icgr  Don  n)e(d)er  (Scttc  fte  aud)  auf  feinen  Stamm 
gesicit  fcin  modjte.  ^ber  bet  alter  SSiirbigung  be§  gro5cn2ftanne§, 
iDa'rcn  bod)  bie  garteren  ©eitcn  ber  ^erfonttdjcn  ^reunbfdjaft  unb 
8icbe  ioeuigcr  bcrittjrt  gebticbcn.  SlnberS  ift'3,  inie  e§  nun  gefommen. 
G?r  fam  ju  un§  ^eritber,  unb  ®ommen  itnb  bte  ^crjcn  erofarn,  lr>ar 
fitr  ilin  ein  itnb  baffelbc.  Sir  faljcn  il)n  in  fciner  53cfd)eibcnf)eit 
unb  Vtebcni>rDitrbig!cit  unb  imr  fagtcn  itnS:  ,,33ctd)  ein  SRiefcngetft 
ntu^  ber  fcin,  ber  bei  fo(d)cr  3lnfprud)6(ofigfeit  in  foldjen  ftretfdt 
fid)  foldje  ©eltung  $u  Derfdjaffen  tou§te.  @5  iDar  un§  gcgonnt  in 
f einer  fd;br.en  <£eete  gu  tcfcn.  UnDertofd)Iid)  ift  ber  (ginbrurf,  ben 


—  101  — 

feme  erljabcne  ^erfonlidjfeit  auf  un$  ntadjte;  un&ergefjlid)  jebeS 
Sort,  bad  cr  in  unfcrcn  Serfatmntintgen  jprad).  Unb  trie  fcin 
Grrfdjctiicn  jaubcrljaft  auf  im$  geunrft,  fo  t>erfel)ltcn  aud)  biefeS 
I'anb  unb  feme  43cwol)ncr  ben  (Smbrucf  nidjt  auf  fcin  empfanglidjcS 
§cr$:  bcr  grofjc  gortfdjritt  hnGr^ietjungSaicfen,  ber  auSgefprodjenc 
tftcdjtS-  unb  2M)ltI)atigfcitefinn,  ben  cr  tyier  tin  $>olfe  fanb,  bie 
(Sdjnwng-  unb  Xfyatfraf  t  in  alien  £reifcn,  fie  erfiillten  ifyn  mit  be* 
gciftcrtcr  greiibe.  'Die  Sdp^e  ber  neuen  (Srfaljrnngen,  bie  er  I)icr 
gefanimclt,  cr  woUtc  fie  Ijeimbringcn;  auf  ttjrer  ©runblage  inolltc 
er  cin  engcrctf  unb  innigered  35er{)altntp  gwtfdjen  fciner  unb  unfercr 
^eimati)  IjerbetfiUjren.  (Sin  fyofyerer  SBille  l)at  e§  anberS  genjoIU. 
(Statt  bie  ^wci  ^d'nbcr  burd)  lebenbigcn  SSerfeljr  p  oeretnen,  oereint 
cr  fte  nun  in  ber  ttcf en  Strauer  iiber  feincn  friiljen  Sob !  Sir 
bereiteten  nn3,  iljm  ben  ^reubcnpofal  gum  SlbfdjiebSgrufce  fitr  eine 
gtitdlid^e  9?eife  in  feine  §eimat^  ju  frebenjcn,  unb  un^  ift  nun  ber 
@d)merjen§bed)er  be^  leljten  2lbfd)teb^  Don  tlim  befdjieben.  Sv 
ftarb  in  unfercn  Slnncn.  Unb  fo  ift  e3  nidjt  nur  ber  grofte  2)Zann, 
bcm  lt)ir  in  et)rfurd)t§tiollcr  Xrnuer  nad)beten:  ,,O,  ba§  bod)  bent 
©eift  gtneifad)  bei  unS  blcibc!"  ©S  ift  nunmeljr  and)  ber  treue, 
ticbgeiDonncne  ^rcunb,  ben  nrir,  tm  23ereine  mtt  feinem  wactern 
^3ruber,  bruberlid)  bciueinen. 

©o  faf)f  bcnn  ^in,  cbicrQJJanu.  Sftb'ge  betne5tfd)e  fid)er  gletten 
Uber^SJJee^um  bie  fanfte  9?ul)e  ^u  finbcn  tin  mittterlidjen  <£d)oope 
beS  fevncn  £)eimatl)(anbc3.  ®eiue  reine  @eete  ninttnt  bcr  £>crr 
auf  su  ettigen  Sonnen.  a}tbgcn  9?cid)e  man!en  unb  £l)rone  ftitrjen, 
bn  gemoUt  unb  gerctrf't,  luirb  fd)affenb  weiter  lebcn,  al^  ein 
fiir  ollc 


bie  9?e!ap  ituta  t  to  n.*) 


33ere()rte  Slnbadjttgc!  5lm  Ijeutigcn  ©abbatfye  tjerfammelt 
aud)  ba§  2L$eretf)feft,  um  bie  9?eifje  unferer  gefte,  bie  ber  Jtfd)ri 
9J?onat  un3  brad)te,  initrbig  ab^ufdjlie^en.  !Cte  33ebeutung  biefc 
XageS  unb  fcin  3WC(^  M"t  don  ben  3t(tcn  trielfarf)  gefud)t  unb  er 
nttttclt  tuorbcn.  <£ic  legen  ben  (Sdjroerpunft  in  bie  Xfyatfadje,  ba 
fo  fdjon  an  bicfcn  Sagcn  in  ber  ^auptftabt  beg  8anbe§  der 


—  102  — 

fantmeft  tear,  r>afe  fie  fo  gemeinfam  unb  briiberlid)  in  bcm  reinen 
©ebanfcn  ber  £>citigung  Dor  ©ott  ocreint  tuaren,  bap  iljr  I)tmm* 
lifdjer  $ater  freubenooU  uott  ifyncn  fagte:  c^y:  rial  21B  no  n:n 
,,£Me  fdjon  unb  nne  licblid)  ift'g,  toenn  33riit>cr  f  o  gemcinfam  mtt* 
einanbcr  metten.  llnb  urn  feinen  $inbern  ben  33ewetg  gu  liefern, 
loie  angeneljm  unb  rooljIgefaUtg  ifjm  ifyr  ffiomaunitbtn  unb  $u* 
fammcnnrirfen  in  Seifje  unb  ^rommtgfeit  ift,  bittet  er  fie  unb 
trcigt  er  ifynen  ouf :  ,,53leibet  nod)  einen  £ag  fo  bet  mir,  benn  c^ 
erfreut  mein  Saterb^erj  (Sud)  fo  gu  fet)cn."  Qa  SllieS,  nja§  loir  aue 
bcr  Sdjrift  am  l)euttgen  Xage  lefen,  atfymet  btcfe  ©nabe  unb  biefeS 
SSofjtgefallen.  ^n  ift  ber  tjerrtidje  3cgcn  bed  erften  ber  ^?ropt)cten 
an  Sftad  bor  fcinem  ©djeiben!  !Da  ift  bann  ber  <2cgen  be3 
weifeften  ber  2J2enfd)en,  beg  ^rieben§-f  onigd3alomo,  ben  er  iiber^ 
33olf  fprad),  at§  fein  SBei^ewert  *ba3  ^eitige  §au§"  dollenbet  luar. 
£)icie  iocnigcn  Sa^e  finb  fo  tiefftnnig  unb  fcelcnooli,  ba^  fie  nic* 
mal^  i()ren  (Sinbrud  oerfeljten,  unb  aid  id)  bicSmal  n)ieber  mit  an= 
bcidjtigcr  53en)unberung  tljren  retdjen  .^n^alt  lag,  ba  brad)ten  fie 
mir  jum  S)anf  f iir  mcine  emftc  53etrad)tung  eincn  neuen  ©ebanfen, 
ber  mid)  itber  ben  ctgcnttidjcn  3we^  im^  i^cr  fe'e  ^olk  ^3cbeutung 
beg  rdttje^aften  3l3eretl)  gefteg  Dollftanbtg  aufflarte.  Stn  ber  £)anb 
biefcg  igegeitS,  23erS  um  23crS,  reprafentirt  fid)  ung  biefcr  Xag  atg 
ein  in^altreidjeg  (£ompenbium,  a(g  bic  wctie  3llfammenfalTunS  bt& 
ilBid)tigftcnunb^3cften,bag  bie  borangegangenen  ^yeftc  ung  bradjten, 
alg  bag  ya^j  ^rn  "13*1  rpO  4^cr  2djlu^  ber  ben  Sdjlitffel  gu 
Stllem  btctet,  ber  ung  le^rt  ^.aw  vn'sa  ^^s>^  NT  irr6x  PK 
luie  trir  ©ott  etjren,  ttie  tt)ir  fein  ©ebot  gu  erfiiUcn  b/aben 
C"ixn  ^o  n7  ""D  unb  mie  in  toatyrcr  ©ottegocrctjrung  ber  ganje, 
ttal)ve  2J?enfd)  fid)  jeigt. 

1.  <5g  liegt  mandjmat  in  einer  SBenbung  ctncg  Sa^cg  oiel 
^clel)renbeg  unb  loenn  bicfe  SScnbung  aud)  ben  Sdjcin  cineg 
teid)tcn  Si^eg  f)at.  ;Dcr  ^falmift,  um  bie  Xrcfffidjfctt  bcr 
Ieb,re  IjcrDorjub.eben,  fagt:  u'NPv  ]*zo  ~\s"  Z"".zl  m 
toirb  gewot)n(id)  ubcrfc^t:  ,,^er  Gtngang  S)eincg  SBortcg 
trlcudjtct,  madjt  berniinftig  ben  Ginfatttgen."  2)2an  iiberfe^t  fo, 
weU  nr.9  »Xf|iir",  (Singang  I)ci§t,  unb  man  bejeidjnet  bamit  ben 
3lnfang,  ino  abcr  bfctbt  bag  (5nbe?  2Bie  mandjer  b/at  bag  ^id)t  am 
(Stngange  empfangen,  unb  bei  ben  njettcren  3d)rittcn  tin  Seben 
()at  fid)  bicfeg  ?id)t  bcrbimfclt  unb  er  fyat  bie  gutcn  i?eb,ren 


—  103  — 

ciner  frommcn  3'Uflcnb  toergeffen,  fo  feljr  bofe  cr  bann  all' 
fyeit  itnb  erfyabene  23ernunft  biefcr  ^efyreu  fiir  nid)t3  wciter  Ijalt,  ate 
fitr  bte  (Sinfalt  ber  ftinber^cit,  bie  er  bann  im  fpatcren  211  ter  be- 
ladjelt.  (£3  ware  alfo  nidjt  geniigenb,  wcnit  bcr  (Singang  be3 
(§Mte3»orte8  &d)t  fpenbete,  e3  ntujj  fo  and)  mit  bemSluSgang  fein. 
llnb  id)  glaube  ba$  Sort  nnD  ,,£l)iire"  fdjliejjt  33etbe  in  fid).  3U 
be«  ^falmiften  £tit  war  e$  inal)r(djetntid)  fdjon  fo,  tote  e§  Ijcutjutagc 
untcr  un^  ift.  5)Jitt  ben  JBefucfyen  be§  greitnbeS  beim  greunb  gei)t 
e«  fo.  2)?an  fommt,  fi^t  unb  fprid)t,  will  gcl)cn,  ftfct  nod)  unb 
fpridjt  nod);  man  gcl)t  unb  fprtd)t,  bteibt  an  ber  £b,ure  fte^en  unb 
fpridjt  erft  rcdjt;  unb  man  fyat  fid)  nod)  fo  utel  ju  fagcn,  ba^  man 
iiber  bag  ©cfprtid)  an  ber  Snjitrc  bie  Unterljaltung  toa^renb  be3 
etgentlid)cn  ^3e[ud)§  t)ergi§t,  unb  e^  bauert  oielleidjt  ntd)t  langer  al^ 
big  man  bie  ©tufen  ^ur  @tra§e  t)inuntergegangenunb  5ltte§  ift  Der= 
geffen.  £)te  9}fctt)obe  ber  Se^re  ift  derfd)icben.  ©ie  letjrt  baSfelbe  betrn 
(gintritte,  fie  erflart  e§  !Dir  fo  lange  ati  ®u  bei  iljr  weilft,  unb  wenn 
Du  bcreit  bift,  auS  i^reu  Ijeiligcn  fallen  ^inau^jutretcn  in^  8eben, 
ba  an  ber  ©djroelle  nod)  erleitd)tet  S)td)  il)r  2Bort.  <£tc  totebcrljolt 
ba§  ©ejagte  unb  toaffnet  ®id)  mit  SBtberftanb  gcgen  2tllc^f 
©id)  tljrc  l^eljren  Dergcffen  mad)en  !onnte.  ^mmer  basfelbc, 
unb  b,at  fie  ntd)t$  ^Jleue^  un0  ju  fiinben  ?  3JJan  f  lagt  mandjmal 
iiber  bie  Cmtdnigfeit  inbenCeljren  berQJioral;  man  barf  e3  brei)en 
wie  man  will,  e$  fommt  bod)  immer  auf  baSfelbe.  IjcrauS;  id) 
gcftelje,  e§  ift  fo  unb  e§  foil  aud)  fo  fctn,  ware  bem  nid)t  fo,  bann 
warcn  aud)  bie  Se^ren  beS  ©(aubenS  dergeblid):  Sie  jencr  fagte, 
toarum  fdjreit  man  bet  inN  "I  r^NTW  y^^  S)cr  anbcrc  ant* 
antwortcte:  2Du  l)aft  nur  einen  ©ott  unb  ben  oergtpt  bu  fo  letdjt, 
5Bie  foil  man  ba  nid)t  (?«"IE?I  ysiy  auSmfen!  ®ie  menfd)lid)C 
9iatur  ift  au§  einigen  ©runb^iigen  jufammengefe^t,  bcrcu  finb 
wenigc,  aber  in  ben  t)erfd)iebenen  Sombtnationen  mad)en  fie  eine 
fold)e  23cr|d)iebenl)eit  unter  ben  a^enfdjen,  bag  man  fagen  fann: 
,,2:aufenb  SKenfdjen,  taufcnb  S^aturcn."  ©aS  (Sonberbare  ift, 
wcnn  man  e§  Derftel)t,  bie  Combination  red)t  aufjulofen,  rcbujiren 
fid)  wiebcr  bie  je  t»erfd)iebencn  ^taturen  311  einem  9Kcnfd)cn,  unb 
man  fann  fagcn:  3DZenfd)  blctbt  Sftcnf d).  ©iefelben  wenigeit  ©ruub* 
fliige,  btcfclbe  3J2oglid)f'eit  unentltd)er  Combination  bei  2lllcn.  S)ie 
©latibcnglcljre  ift  bie  £ugenblcb,re  obcr  bie  2lnweifung,  wie  wir  bie 
toenigcn  ©runbsitgc  unfercr  mcnfd)(id)en  9^atur  combiniren  follen, 


—  104  — 

jo  bafc  au3  biefcr  (combination  itnmcr  @utc3  unb  ©egcnooKcS  fur 
mt$  unb  Slnbere  Ijeruorgefye.  SaS  Material,  ba3  fie  ba,u  brand)!, 
ift  cinfad),  unb  bte  9#ctf)ot>e  ift  auf  bie  DJiilltonen  bcr  (Srbenf'inber 
in  alien  ttjren  I'agen  bercdmet;  fie  $eigt,  toie  bte  ©ruttbgitge,  bie 
ba§  SBefen  be3  2ftenfd)en  auSmadjen,  in  eincnt  SBcfctt  #u  finben 
finb,  ba§  I)6l)er  ift  benn  atle  Ubrigen  SBefen.  <Sie  gcigt,  ttrie  in 
biefem  l)bd)ften  Sefen  biefe  (gtgcnfdjaften  in  bent  unenblid^ett  SSer- 
Ijaltniffe  gum  gro^en  Untoerfnm  fid)  fo  combiniren,  baft  uberall 
Sei^t)eit,  ©eredjtigfctt,  8iebe  unb  ^Barml)cr5igfeit  gum  23orfd)etn 
fommcn;  unb  fie  le^rt  jeben  t)on  nnS:  ©cljc  ^in,  Derarbette  i)ctne 
gafjigfetten  nad)  biefem  ^6d)ften  S5orbitbe,  bann  bift  ®u  fidjer 
unter  alien  (Sombinationen  ben  unfel)lbaren  2Scg  bcr  menfd)tid)en 
Xugenb  unb  §eiligfeit  gu  get)en.  ^Bet  biefem  ©toff  unb  bet  biefer 
2ftetl)obe  fann  eS  ja  nid)t  2lnber3  fein,  a(^  bap  Stlled  urieber  auf 
baSfelbc  Ijerau^fommt.  Slber  biefe§  (Sine,  mie  entfd)cibcnb  ift  e$ 
fitr  SllleS,  mas  Su  tl)im  lannft  unb  tt>a^  Sid)  berrcffen  latin,  unb 
biefe^  (Sine,  tt>enn  Su  e§  tiergi^t,  iuie  DerljtingntBUolI  fiir  S)td) 
unb  Seine  SBcftimmung.  Sie  taufenbc  Don  Gombinattonen,  bie 
£)ein  8eben  ausmadjen,  fonnen  Sid)  nid)t  beteljreu  unb  aufflaren; 
fie  bcrimrreti  Sid).  Sa§  Sine  ift  bie  2(ntn>ort,  bie  2(uffldrung, 
bie  8ofuttg  beS  gro^en  ^attjfeld  2)^cnfd)cn(eben  genannt.  ^a, 
bie  8el)ren  Seines  ©laubenS,  fie  finb  tmmer  basfelbe,  fie  fommen 
immer  aitf  (Sin§  I)erau§r  luie  aitber^  121  *y,D  @ie  finb  ba^  U(ti» 
matum  alter  SSei^Ijeit  unb  atlcr  (Srfaljrung  1111  CM^K  ^«  @ie 
erjie^en  ben  2Wcnfd)en  fitr  ©ott  unb  baburcl)  ergieljett  fie  ben 
2ftenfd)en  fitr  fid)  felbft. 

2.  $8ie  fd)6n  fpiegcln  fid)  bie  Ijcrrlidjeit  ©ebanfcn,  bte 
un«  Dom  8aufe  un[erer  l)ci(igcn  Xage  gcbrad)t  wurbcn  in  biefem 
fatamontfd)en  ®d)tu^gebete  aneier.  ^}tnmcr  baofelbe  unb  bod)  fo 
neu,  tmmer  ba^  Sine  unb  bod)  fo  t>erfd)ieben:  Sa^  fyerjttcfye 
Jrcunbe^uort  betm  >3d)eibcn,  ba^  fid)  fo  tief  unfcrem  ©ebad)tniffe 
einpragt.  Sa  \vai~  cS  bcr  erfte  Xij^ruXag,  ber  un§  cin  (sngelpaar 
oorfii^rte,  a(S  bie  tveucn  33cglcitcr,  bie  und  fd)ii§enb  jur  Scite 
fte^en  aitf  unferem  SebenSwcge.  28ir  fprad)en  bamafd  baoon,  h)ic 
fd)tnat  bcr  ©treifen  ift,  beit  tt)ir  ©egcmuart  ttcnnen,  lute  uncrme§« 
lid)  311  beiben  ©eilen  l)in  fid)  SSergangenfyeit  uttb  3llfunft  be{)nen, 
nrie  loir  nur  bann  ftd)cr  fortfommcn,  luenn  im'r  un§  ftit^cnb  an 
33eibe  leljnen.  (Srinnerung  unb  ^offnuttg  luaren  baS 


—  105  — 

toort  be3  £age3,  fie  nwren  bie  trcuen  33oten,  bte  mit  imS  gcfyett 
follten,  bercn  £>ienft  ittdjt  fritter  enbct,  bt§  fie  ntdjt  am  crftcn  £ag 
be3  nadjftcn  ^afyrcS  burd)  neuc  5iif)rer  abgetof  t  loerben.  23cim  <5d)cU 
ben  Ijeuf  ift  e3  bie  erfte  ©orge  unfercS  greunbeS,  ber  un3  ba3  ©c* 
leite  sur  £ljiir  giebt,  un$  511  maljnen :  ,,T)u  gel) ft,  bergi§  an  £etnc  ge= 
trcuen  Wrernidjt  —  bcr  crfteift,  133;^  nni:»  ]n:  1^«  'i  -nn 
Tie  Grtnnerung,  bte  banfbare  (vrinncrung  an  bie  33ergangenf)dt 
ii^y  HDO  "pa  im  i^«  men  T^~I  ^ro  ~nx  "ai  ^EJ  N^ 
ba  ift  aud)  nidit  cin  SSort  Don  fcincr  guten  S3er^ei^itng  tueg^ 
gcfatlen,  luie  er  e^  Derfimbet  burd)  fetnen  Wiener  9JJofe§.  §ier  ift 
nidjt  nur  bie  Sftafjnung,  ^tcr  ift  and)  bie  midjtragttdje  53e(el)rung, 
n)etd}ei5  bte  redjte  Cmunerung  ift,  bte  inir  feftf)aften  fallen.  2)?and)c 
mad)en  e«  mit  ifjreu  Grinnerungen,  line  e3  jenev  2J?ann  mit  feincm 
(£d)a^c  madjte  —  er  toollte  iljn  an  einem  fidjerem  Orte  eingraben 
auf  eincr  luciten  ^la'dje,  luo  iljtt  feiner  ftnben  fonntc;  er  felbft 
mad)te  fid)  ein  3e^cn-  ®^e  ganje  ^ladje  iuar  Don  ber  (Sonne 
bcfdjicnen,  nur  bie  etne  @telle  war  itmfdjattet,  an  ber  fd)attigcn 
@telle  ocrgrub  er  feinen  @dja£;  bie  ^onne  aber  ging  il)ren  Canf, 
nnb  bcr  ©djatten  tocdjfelte  itnaufljaltfant,  unb  al^  ber  9D7ann 
feinen  @d)a^  p  fitdjen  fam,  ba  fonnte  er  il)n  gftnfdjen  @onnen- 
unb  @d)atten»cd)fel  felber  nidjt  mel)r  finben.  <So  gcljt'a  mit 
unfcrcn  Grinnernngen.  2Btr  ^aufen  fie  auf  unb  siDifdjen  Sonnen* 
unb  <Sd)attentt>ed)iel  ge^en  fie  JttUJ  beriorcn,  'i  ^m  ^niipf  5)eine 
Srinneritngen  an  ©ott  unb  ®u  ^aft  U)ir  ein  fiacres  &id)tn  ge* 
inadjt.  petite  33ergangen^eit  iuirb  fiir  £>id)  etne  ^unbgrube,  bie 
retd)e  @d)a^e  btetet.  ®er  gtueite  <Sa£  brittft  bie  ^joffnung 
tm  ebelften  ©inne,  mie  ber  Qftenfd)  fie  ^cgen  fann.  'i  TP 
;ksl  usiy1  ?x  ij^y  irn^K  «3)er  ewtgc  ©ott  fci  mit  uttS, 
(gr  ticrtaffc,  (5r  oertocrfe  un«  ntd)t."  ®a§  ift  nricber  etne  fe^r 
ridjttge  unb  ticfe  Stnroeifung.  Sa§  madjen  un'r  au§  unferen  §off= 
nungcn  unb  tuas  madjen  unfcre  §offtiungen  au§  unS?  (5in  ^ontg 
fprad)  eutft  gu  fcinem  33aumeifter:  ,,^annft  bit  mir  nidjt  cin 
ftoljeS  ©djfojj  in  bcr  Suft  bauen,  bann  ift  betn  ^eben  Dcrtotrft.  - 


*)l!lc§  tjl  bic  Ic(}te  iRcbe  beS  SSerbU^enen,  bte  ju  Dottenbcn  unb  ju  fptt^cn   i^m  nid)t  tne^t 
fleg6nnt  tear. 


Sermons. 

(From  "THE  NEW  YORK  HERALD".' 


The  Difference  between  "Will  and  Desire  in  Religion. 
May  23,  1873. 

"Fear  not .  for  those  that  be  with  us  are 
more  than  they  that  are  with  them." 
II.  Kings  VI.,  16. 

Tms  was  the  answer  of  Elisha  to  his  trembling  and  fear- 
ful servant,  when  the  latter  announced  that  the  Syrian  host 
had  the  city  surrounded,  intent  upon  the  capture  of  the 
prophet  who  had  revealed  their  secrets  to  the  King  of  Israel. 
"Alas,  my  master!"  said  the  servant,  " what  shall  we  do ?" 
The  servant  saw  only  the  hosts  of  the  enemy,  but  his  eyes 
were  blinded  so  tliat  he  could  not  see  the  celestial  army 
who  camped  round  about  the  prophet  and  covered  the 
hillside  with  their  companies.  It  seems  from  the  narrative 
that  the  servant  doubted  the  words  of  Elisha,  for  the 
prophet  had  to  pray  that  the  Lord  would  open  his  eyes  that 
he  might  see  the 

HOSTS  OF  THE  LORD  CAMPED  AROUND 

him.  I  would  not  undertake  to  explain  the  miraculous 
features  of  this  narrative.  All  such  efforts  to  reduce  the 
miracles  of  the  Scriptures  to  the  mere  consequences  of  natu- 
ral causes  are  vain  and  unprofitable.  It  conduces  much 
more  to  our  spiritual  welfare  to  investigate  the  sound  moral 
kernel  of  truth  enveloped  in  the  pithy  saying  of  the  prophet 
— more  are  they  that  be  with  us  than  they  that  be  with 
them.  All  moral  defects  under  which  we  labor  are  the  fruits 
of  weakness  and  mental  incapacity  to  resist;  and  this  inca- 
pacity exists  so  long  as  our  eyes  are  opened  to  see  only  the 
strength  of  the  enemy  that  we  may  have  to  combat.  But  as 


—  107  — 

soon  as  our  eyes  are  opened  to  see  the  hosts  which  the  Lord 
has  commissioned  to  help  us,  the  power  of  resistance  is  in- 
creased a  thousand-fold.  The  will  is  aroused  and  we  can 
only  rely  upon  the  force  of  our  moral  powers.  The  will  is 
the  test  of  man's  strength  and  worth.  And  yet  nothing  is 
more  common  than  for  men  to  confound  two  widely  different 
perceptions — 

THE  WILL  AND  THE  DESIRE. 

There  is  as  great  a  distance  between  them  as  there  is  be- 
tween strength  and  weakness.  The  will  takes  the  inchoate 
wish  and  desire  and  moves  them  into  the  completest  results, 
while  the  wish,  independent  of  the  will,  is  ever  grasping 
after  the  shadow  and  losing  the  substance.  The  desire  is  a 
child  of  the  heart,  furnished  with  wings,  with  which  it  is 
perpetually  soaring  above  the  earth,  and  building  its 
castles  in  the  air,  while  the  will  is  the  strong  arm  and  the 
brave  soul  that  is  gradually  but  certainly  developing  into 
its  ultimate  and  complete  manhood.  The  wish  is  like  the 
bottomless  barrel  with  which  the  condemned  toils  to  drain  the 
ocean  dry.  The  will  is  the  spade  that  digs  until  the  sterile 
ground  becomes  productive.  And  as  different  as  their 
natures  are,  so  different,  also,  are  their  results.  It  is  an  old 
adage  that  no  man  has  ever  died  with  half  his  wishes  ful- 
filled. But  of  the  will,  the  Psalmist  has  said  that  God  will 
fulfil  the  will  of  those  that  fear  Him,  and  will  also  hear  their 
prayer  and  save  them.  To  pray  and  to  will  is  the  -staff  upon 
which  the  weary  traveller  leans  for  support,  while  to  pray 
and  to  wish  is  as  if  a  man  should  say  to  his  staff :  "  Walk 
thou  and  I  will  He  down  and  rest,  and  when  you  come  to  our 
destination  awaken  me."  To  will  is  the  muscular  motion  of 
the  soul;  to  wish  merely  is  aa  neuralgia  to  the  mind.  'The 
former  is  the  host  that  is  for  us ;  the  latter  against  us.  And 
greater  are  they  that  be  for  us  than  those  that  be  against 
us.  And  yet  a  large  majority  of  men  cherish  the  wish  and 
the  desire,  while  a  comparative  few  cultivate  the  will  power. 
And  when  they  become  entangled  in  the  enemy's  snares  they 
say,  as  did  the  prophet's  servant, 


—  108  — 

ALAS!   WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO? 

Take  the  prophet's  answer  and  open  your  eyes  to  the  host 
that  is  on  our  side  AVherever  I  see  moral  evil  exalting 
itself  I  read  also  the  words  of  the  prophet  Elisha — "  More 
are  they  that  be  for  us  than  against  us."  The  hoaryheaded 
man  plucks  from  the  struggles  of  life  a  flower  when  he 
brings  to  the  decline  of  years  a  will  strong  in  faith  and  con- 
fidence in  God.  But  too  many  of  us  trust  to  our  eyes  and 
not  to  our  faith  and  will,  and  too  often  all  of  us  fall  into  the 
error  of  the  prophet's  servant  Let  us  therefore  not  walk  so 
much  by  sight  and  so  little  by  faith,  but  pray  that  our 
spiritual  eyes  may  be  opened  that  we  might  see  the  help 
that  God  has  provided  for  every  one  of  us  in  doing  right 


Sanctified  versus  Unsanctined  Enjoyments. 
June  14,  1873. 

"For  I  am  the  Lord  your  God;  ye  sLall  therefore 
sanctify  yourselves  and  be  holy  for  I  am  holy." 
Leviticus  XI.,  44. 

THOSE  are  among  the  closing  words  of  the  old  dietary 
laws  of  Israel.  I  have  no  need  now  to  instruct  you 
in  regard  to  their  observance;  you  have  laid  them  aside  as 
you  found  them  unnecessary  or  inconvenient,  and  have  sub- 
stituted for  them  the  modern  dietary  laws.  But  the  Lord 
has  bade  us  sanctify  ourselves  that  we  may  not  forget  that 
the  body  is  the  vessel  of  the  Spirit,  the  Spirit  is  the  crown 
of  life;  and  men  should  never  injure  the  crown  nor  the 
vessel.  This  thought  leads  to  some  remarks  on  the  new 
dietary  laws  and  to  the  relation  of  labor  to  wealth  and  en- 
joyment There  is  one  man  who  puts  his  hands  on  his  lap 
and  lounges  about,  lazily  waiting  for  work  or  wealth  to 
come  to  him,  but  they  come  not  If  a  man  would  cross  the 
ocean  he  must  build  the  ship  first  and  prepare  it  with  masts 
and  sails  and  all  the  appliances  necessary  for  a  safe  and  suc- 
cessful voyage.  And  the  man  who  would  acquire  wealth 
must  work  for  that  also.  But  some  one  will  ask:  What, 


—  109  — 

then,  has  God  to  do  with  it?  He  has  much  to  do  with  it. 
Thank  Him  for  the  health  and  strength  He  gives  you,  the 
care  that  He  exercises  to  bring  you  safely  over  the  sea,  and 
the  food  that  He  provides  for  you.  In  the  Scriptures  it  is 
written  that  God  giveth  to  the  cattle  their  food.  But  why  to 
cattle  and  not  to  man?  It  is  that  men  may  work  and  enjoy 
the  fruit  of  their  labor;  but  cattle  get  their  bread  ready 
made  by  the  Creator.  God  could  not  have  enjoyed  this 
world  had  He  not  first  made  it,  and  we  must  make  our 
worlds  ere  we  can  enjoy  them. 

But  our  activities  must  be  holy,  and  holiness  is  always 
active :  yet  not  that  kind  of  activity  which  swings  hither 
and  thither  like  the  pendulum  of  a  clock,  tic-tac,  work  days 
and  holy  days  alike,  until  the  wheels  wrear  out  and  then  it 
stands  still  forever.  Such,  indeed,  is  the  work  of  many  men. 
Work  days  and  festival  days,  right  or  wrong,  they  perform 
their  daily  round  from  morn  till  night,  until  the  wheels  of 
lif e  wear  out  and  they  stand  still.  That,  however,  is  not  the 
way  we  must  work.  "  Go  to  the  ant,  thou  sluggard,"  is  the 
recommendation  of  the  Scriptures.  The  ant  is  ever  stretch- 
ing out  its  claws,  and  is  perpetually  working.  Its  food  is  a 
grain  and  a  half  of  wheat  during  the  season :  but,  according 
to  the  legends,  it  stores  up  and  leaves  behind  it  three  hundred 
measures  of  wheat.  How  many  are  Thy  works,  Lord  God 
Almighty!  In  wisdom  hast  Thou  made  them  all! 

GOD  IS  HOLY 

and  all  His  works  are  made  in  righteousness.  All  human 
holiness  must  flow  from  the  state  of  the  mind,  and  hence 
our  activities  should  tend  to  make  us  spiritual.  But  if 
spiritual  principles  do  not  form  the  basis  of  all  our  actions, 
our  glory  will  be  like  that  of  the  ant.  We  shall  gather  and 
store,  grind,  work,  eat  our  grain  or  two  and  depart,  leaving 
three  hundred  measures  of  wheat  behind  us.  Some  men  leave 
greenbacks  instead  of  wheat,  and  for  such  the  ant  is  a  good 
teacher,  but  there  is  an  enjoyment  of  labor  higher  than  this. 
There  are  about  thirteen  hundred  millions  of  people  on  the 
earth,  every  one  of  whom  is  seeking  enjoyment,  but  they 


—  110  — 

know  little  or  nothing  about  it  To  have  and  to  hoard  is 
not  to  enjoy.  To  enjoy  is  to  feel  a  pleasure  in  your  soul 
and  to  have  a  sense  of  enjoyment  there.  Two  men  look  at 
the  same  picture,  and  one  sees  only  the  gross  and  material 
side  of  it,  while  the  other  takes  in  its  artistic  beauty.  Two 
men  listen  to  the  sound  of  music — one  rejoices  in  the  har- 
mony of  sweet  sounds,  while  the  other  is  more  interested  in 
the  instruments  that  produce  them.  Men  listen  to  a  sermon 
in  the  same  way.  One  is  edified  at  its  depth  of  thought, 
another  by  its  glow  of  inspiration,  and  a  third  is  amused,  if 
not  edified,  by  the 

OCCASIONAL  WITTICISMS 

of  the  preacher.  But  all  these  enjoy  the  picture,  the  music 
or  the  sermon  according  to  their  capacity,  though  none  of 
them  enjoy  alike.  Two  men  have  business  places  near  each 
other:  by  the  pendulum  law  one  keeps  open  work  day  and 
rest  day  all  the  year;  the  other  observes  the  Sabbaths  and 
Fast  days.  At  the  end  of  the  year  we  would  say  the 
one  that  kept  open  every  day  has  done  one-sixth  more  busi- 
ness and  made  one-sixth  more  money.  But  has  he  done  so  ? 
If  you  measure  by  ciphers,  he  has;  but  to  work  for  ciphers 
is  to  work  as  the  ant  works.  The  man  who  has  worked  six 
days  and  remembered  the  Sabbath  to  keep  it  holy  may  have 
one-sixth  less  gain  than  the  other,  but  he  knows  that  he  has 
obtained  it  justly  and  in  compliance  with  the  divine  law. 
You  see  two  men  of  equal  business,  and,  so  far  as  you  can 
observe,  of  equal  means  also;  one  man  subscribes  largely 
and  liberally  to  all  the  benevolent  objects  of  the  age:  he 
supports  the  synagogue,  cares  for  the  orphans,  helps  to 
build  homes  for  the  aged  and  hospitals  for  the  sick;  sits 
down  perhaps  to  a  frugal  meal,  and  goes  to  the  theatre  once 
a  month,  or  to  the  opera  once  a  year.  The  other  lives 
grandly;  he 

FARES  SUMPTUOUSLY  EVERY  DAY, 

he  rides  out  to  the  park  in  a  splendid  equipage  every  after- 
noon, and  goes  to  the  theatre  or  the  opera  with  his 
family  every  night.  Men  look  at  him  in  astonishment  and 
talk  of  his  wealth  and  of  his  wonderful  enjoyment  of  it 


—  Ill  — 

But  which  of  these  men  enjoys  his  wealth  most?  Evidently 
the  man  who  does  the  most  good  with  it.  He  has  a  moral 
foundation  to  enjoyment.  But  some  men  will  say,  perhaps, 
it  is  easy  for  a  preacher  to  say  these  things;  it  is  part  of  his 
business.  Yes,  but  where  is  the  man  who  gives  more  to  the 
synagogue  or  the  church  than  the  minister?  The  talents 
which  have  made  him  a  preacher  would  have  made  him  a 
merchant,  a  doctor  or  a  lawyer.  But  he  prefers  to  live 
another  life  than  that  of  the  ants.  And  I  would  have  the 
people  avoid  the  extremes  of  overwork  and  excessive 
pleasure,  and  take  the  safe  middle  path. 


The  spiritual  Jerusalem  and  the  true  Messiah. 

July  15,  1878. 

"And  I  will  restore  thy  judges  as  at  the  first  and 
Thy  counsellors  as  at  the  beginning;  etc. 

Isaiah,!.  ,26. 

THE  fulfilment  of  this  prophecy  is  not  to  be  interpreted 
literally,  but  in  its  deeper  and  more  comprehensive  spiritual 
sense.  It  is  the  duty  of  Israel  to  live  for  humanity,  and 
this  is  the  Alpha  and  the  Omega  of  Jewish  history;  and  this 
is  the  burden  of  the  song  that  was  sung  at  the  cradle  of  our 
people's  legendary  infancy. 

THE  IDEA  or  ISRAEL'S  MISSION 

renders  the  revelation  on  Mount  Sinai  the  greatest  event  in 
the  history  of  mankind,  and  elevates  the  narrative  of  the 
vicissitudes  of  this  people  far  above  the  level  of  a  mere 
national  history.  The  consciousness  of  this  mission  has  ever 
lived  in  Israel,  but  in  different  periods  of  Jewish  history  it 
assumed  different  forms.  During  the  existence  of  the 
Jewish  state  consciousness  manifested  itself  in  the  hope 
that  this  state  would  once  become  the  focus  of  gregarious 
life,  both  political  and  religious,  for  mankind.  The  prophets 
in  their  visions  made  all  the  nations  flock  together  towards 
Zion;  there  humanity  was  to  reach  its  goal — the  swords  would 
there  be  forged  into  scythes,  the  spears  into  sickles  and  the 
light  that  emanated  from  Zion  was  to  illuminate  the  world 


—  112  — 

and  restore  complete  and  universal  peace ;  and,  like  a  mother 
amid  her  children,  Judea  would  be  loved  and  honored  as  the 
maternal  ruler  of  all.  This  ideal  State  was  also  endowed 
with  an  ideal  king — the  Messiah.  The  frequent  and  heavy 
misfortunes  that  swept  over  the  head  of  the  nation  had  no 
power  to  shake  this  hope  of  a  brilliant  final  result — the  ideal 
State  and  the  ideal  king  became  leading  stars,  which  shone 
with  increased  lustre  as  the  night  grew  deeper  and  darker; 
and  even  in  that  gloomy  moment  when  the  crown  was  torn 
from  Judea's  brow,  when  the  state  collapsed  and  the  sanctu- 
ary was  burned  to  ashes,  the  ideal  State  did  not  go  to  ruin 
and  the  ideal  king  was  more  ardently  expected  than  ever 
before.  The  ensuing  centuries  after 

THE  DESTRUCTION  OF  JERUSALEM 

witnessed  the  sad  and  peculiar  spectacle  of  an  exiled  and 
wandering  people,  whose  hopes  seemed  vanished  and  still 
lived  in  the  expectation  of  the  Messiah's  advent.  Many  a 
time  the  exhausted  wanderer  struggled  in  the  last  agony  of 
death,  but  he  could  not  die,  for  the  brilliant  image  of  his 
distant  home  shone  before  his  receding  vision,  and  kept  him 
ah' ve.  The  origin  of  the  greater  part  of  the  ancient  prayers 
is  to  be  traced  back  to  that  period.  No  wonder,  then,  that 
the  charming  accents  of  this  deep  yearning  became  the 
sacred  tones  which  consoled  and  refreshed  many  a  despair- 
ing patriot's  heart.  But  however  venerable  these  remnants 
of  ancient  enthusiasm  may  be,  they  are  not  those  which,  in 
our  days,  can  offer  wholesome  food  to  our  thoughts  and 
views.  A.  history  of  eighteen  centuries  has  taught  us  that 
it  is  not  the  destiny  of  Israel  quietly  to  wait  in  their 
country  until  mankind  will  wander  to  Palestine  and  nations 
will  crowd  to  Jerusalem  to  ascend  the  Holy  Mount,  to  enter 
with  praise  the  house  of  the  Lord.  Israel  had  to  leave  its 
home,  to  carry  along  with  it  its  entrusted  treasure,  and  to 
bring  the  light  of  religious  knowledge  to  those  peoples  who 
walked  in  darkness.  Slowly,  but  surely,  Israel  is  accom- 
plishing its  mission.  During  its  historical  march  it  diffuses 
the  rays  of  the  spiritual  sun,  the  truth  of  God's  love.  The 


—  113  — 

consciousness  of  our  mission  lives  in  us  as  in  our  ancestors, 
but  in  a  different  form.  It  is  no  longer  the  ideal  State  and 
the  ideal  king  that  makes  us  ardently  long  for  the  bygone 
past.  The  consciousness  of  our  mission  prompts  us  faith- 
fully to  discharge  our  obligations  to  the  present.  The 
heroes  of  our  past  are  and  remain  endeared  to  us.  "We 
deplore  the  innumerable  sufferings  of  our  fathers,  we  honor 
their  memory  in  our  prayers,  we  look  upon 

THE  NTS'TH  OF  AB 

as  a  memorial  day  which  must  fill  each  Jewish  heart  with 
melancholy  feelings;  but  at  the  same  time,  this  day  and  its 
events  are  the  clear  manifestation  of  the  Lord  that  there 
shall  come  a  time  when  all  the  earth  shall  be  one  consecrated 
Zion;  and  when,  wherever  men  live,  they  shall  worship  the 
Lord  and  build  for  Him  a  spiritual  Jerusalem.  This  is  the 
lofty  end  that  is  to  be  advanced  by  the  agency  of  Israel; 
the  ideal  State  is  a  brotherly  union  of  mankind,  and  the 
ideal  king  is  the  universal  acknowledgment  of  the  Only 
One  and  His  eternal  Law.  "When  this  time  shall  have  come 
then  shall  be  built  the  true  Jerusalem,  which  shall  be  called 
the  "city  of  righteousness,  the  faithful  city." 


Beauty  of  the  Law  of  Moses. 
August,  16,  1873. 

"I  will  hear  what  God  the  Lord  will  say  to  me 
for  He  "will  speak  peace  unto  His  people 
and  to  His  saints  et^. " 

Psalms  LXXXV,  8—12. 

THESE  few  verses  of  the  sacred  bard  comprise  a  beauti- 
ful description  of  the  glorious  future,  and  at  the  same  time 
delineate  the  system  of  religion  by  whose  agency  this  pros- 
perous period  shall  be  introduced.  The  religion  of  Israel 
is  not  a  compilation  of  philosophical  speculations  or  mys- 
terious riddles,  but  is  rather  the  heavenly  guide  who  leads 
the  children  of  the  Lord  to  their  highest  destination  in  a 
path  and  by  a  way  wherein  none  who  desire  to  follow  need 
go  astray.  Faith  is  the  leader  by  which  the  race  or  the 
individual  man  is  to  attain  this  prosperity,  whether  in 


—  114  — 

Bpiritual  or  in  material  affairs.  Speculative — that  is  secterian 
— religion  cannot  achieve  this  end;  practical  religion  can. 
God  is  the  highest  idea  that  cannot  be  penetrated  by  the 
keenest  intellect  of  the  most  gifted  mortal;  but  can  be 
felt  in  His  blissful  effects  by  the  simple  and  truthful  heart 
of  a  child.  Not  to  accept  and  believe  in  God  unless  our 
reason  can  solve  the  problems  that  are  connected  "with  His 
attributes  of  eternity,  infinity  and  spirituality,  is  as  servile 
and  silly  as  to  refuse  the  light  and  warmth  of  the  sun  until 
we  can  understand  the  laws  by  which  that  orb  is  governed. 
We  may  mistake  or  fail  to  comprehend  the  influences  of 
those  laws  upon  the  solar  system,  but  we  cannot  fail  to 
appreciate  the  necessity  and  beneficial  effects  of  the  sun's 
rays  upon  our  world.  To  philosophize  about  God,  if  it  be 
done  in  a  proper  and  reverent  spirit,  will  tend  to  increase 
our  knowledge  of  the  Supreme  Being;  but  let  not  our 
speculations  concerning  the  Deity  interfere  with  our  faith 
in  the  All-God  even  in  a  negative  way. 

MOSES  WAS  NOT  V-UXGLOKIOUS 

when  he  said  of  the  law  which  by  his  agency  the  Lord  had  im- 
parted to  Israel:  "This  is  your  wisdom  and  your  under- 
standing in  the  sight  of  the  nations  which  shall  hear  all 
these  statutes  and  shall  say  surely  this  is  a  wise  and  under- 
standing people!"  Many  a  modern  philosopher,  on  hearing 
this  passage  will  remark  with  a  scornful  smile :  "  Past  and 
faded  glory  never  to  be  revived  again!"  But  every  en- 
lightened thinker  who  knows  anything  of  the  essence  of 
these  statutes  will  abide  by  the  prediction  of  the  great 
prophet  and  law  giver,  and  will  surely  hope  for  the  time  to 
come  when  all  nations  shall  acknowledge  the  wisdom  and 
grandeur  of  Israel's  law.  Put  all  the  philosophical  treatises 
and  essays  on  God  and  man  into  the  scale  with  that  small 
section  of  the  Scriptures  which  treats  of  the  sanctity  of 
mankind — Lev.  19. — and  voluminous  as  they  are,  it  will 
outweigh  them  all.  They  are  lighter  than  vanity  itself  in 
comparison  with  the  wisdom  of  God.  In  this  chapter  you 
can  see  what  Judaism  is  and  what  it  indicates.  First  it  in- 
culcates faith  in  the  one,  only  living  and  true  God ;  it 


—  115  — 

warns  against  the  sins  of  idolatry  and  superstition ;  it 
teaches  honor  and  obedience  to  parents,  and  the  sanctity  of 
the  Sabbath;  it  inculcates  charity  to  the  poor,  honesty  in 
all  things,  whether  in  private  or  in  public  life,  cautions  us 
not  to  harbor  malice  or  revenge  in  our  bosoms,  and  to  love 
our  neighbors  as  ourselves.  And  nearly  every  one  of  these 
commandments  closes  with  the  words  "I  am  the  Lord."  As 
if  the  Lord  had  said:  "You  can  know  me  only  by  doing 
good."  Every  pure  thought  and  every  virtuous  act  will 
bring  thee  nearer  to  the  idol  of  perfection  to  the  Lord. 
Work  out  the  principles  laid  down  in  this  one  chapter  of 
the  Scriptures,  and  you  will  find  truth  and  mercy  so  closely 
entwined,  love  and  justice  so  thoroughly  embodied  in  them 
that  we  may  justly  say:  " They  are  not  only  the  indispens- 
able condition  for  the  welfare  of  the  individual,  but  they 
are  destined  to  become  the  future  constitution  of  mankind 
at  a  time  when  the  human  mind  and  heart  in  general  will 
be  purified,  and  will  have  returned  to  that  unsophisticated 
simplicity  which  alone  enables  the  soul  to  listen  to  the 
voice  of  truth,  and  to  enjoy  the  heavenly  peace  which  is 
the  portion  of  all  those  that  love  the  Lord  with  all  their 
heart  and  all  their  soul. 

Let  us  be  thankful  to  the  Most  High  that  He  has  made 
us  professors  of  so  pure  and  sublime  a  creed  which  con- 
tains the  true  seeds  of  salvation  for  mankind,  and  let  us 
show  our  gratitude  by  a  steady  and  upright  walk  in  the 
ways  of  the  Lord,  and  let  us  make  His  law  the  rule  of  every 
action  of  our  lives.  Then  mercy  and  truth  shall  meet 
together,  righteousness  and  peace  shall  kiss  each  other. 


The  Proper  Development  of  Man's  Individuality. 
August  23d,  1873. 

"And  the  spirit  of  the  Lord  will  come  upon 
thee,  and  thou  Bhalt  prophecy  with  them 
and  shalt  be  turned  into  another  man." 
Samuel,  X.,  6. 

MAN'S  individuality  is  his  own  inalienable  property,  be- 
stowed by  God,  and  which  cannot  be  exchanged  either  by 


—  116  — 

the  giver  or  the  possessor.  But,  while  it  cannot  be  ex- 
changed, it  may  be  developed  and  cultivated,  and  the 
Creator  gives  the  power  and  the  ability  toward  this  end. 
Sometimes,  by  utter  neglect,  this 

DEVELOPMENT  IS  HINDERED, 

or  perhaps  absolutely  crushed  out  Sometimes  it  comes 
slowly  or  tardily,  and  may  not  come  until  the  eleventh  hour; 
and  sometimes,  again,  circumstances  are  so  ordered  by  the 
mercy  of  God  that  a  man's  individuality  may  be  developed 
much  earlier  or  more  speedily  than  we  had  hoped  or  ex- 
pected. Then  the  circumstances  appear  wonderful,  and  the 
rapid  development  gives  the  man  the  appearance  of  having 
been  turned  into  another  man.  When  Saul,  the  son  of 
Kish,  met  the  prophet  Samuel,  he  was  a  man  of  a  thoroughly 
worldly  caste.  The  business  that  led  him  to  the  man  of 
God  was  of  purely  material  nature.  From  all  the  riches 
hidden  in  the  prophets  mind,  he  wants  only  the  pure  know- 
ledge of  where  his  father's  lost  team  may  be  found.  And 
yet  this  apparently  materialistic  man  possesses  in  his  own 
heart  the  qualities  which  fitted  him  to  become  the  annointed 
of  the  Lord  and  the  ruler  of  a  great  people.  But  his  true 
personality  was  a  deep  mystery,  even  to  himself.  And  if  he 
had  not  met  the  prophet — if  the  peculiar  complication  of 
circumstances  had  not  given  to  his  faculties  the  right  direc- 
tion towards  a  speedy  development — he  might  have  li ved  and 
died  the  simple  Saul,  good  for  nothing  higher  than  to  look 
after  and  care  for  the  lost  asses  of  his  father.  When  he  was 
told  by  Samuel  that  he  was  the  chosen  of  the  Lord  to  rule 
over  Israel,  Saul  could  see  nothing  in  himself  that  could  en- 
title him  to  this  honor  or  justify  the  Divine  choice.  But  the 
prophet  gave  him  signs  whose  fulfilment  should  verify  the 
truth  of  the  prediction,  and  gave  him  altogether  new  and 
different  ideas  from  those  that  had  hitherto  engrossed  his 
mind.  Samuel  pointed  out  sacred  places  where  Saul  should 
meet  holy  persons,  and  the  influences  of  those  persons  and 
places  would  arouse  his  dormant  spiritual  nature  until  he, 
too,  should  join  the  prophets  and  become  another  man. 
Saul's  meeting  with  the  pilgrims  going  toward  Shiloh  and 


—  117  — 

their  donation  of  bread  and  wine,  and  his  subsequent  meet- 
ing of  the  prophets  "whom  he  joined,  made  it  become  a 

PROVERB  IN  ISRAEL 

that  Saul  was  also  among  the  prophets.  There  is  many  a 
simple  business  man  who  possesses  within  himself  those 
qualities  and  characteristics  which,  if  properly  cultivated  and 
developed,  would  raise  him  to  the  sublime  position  of  a 
friend  and  true  worshipper  of  God;  but  for  want  of  such 
development  and  cultivation  he  may  be  yet  grovelling  among 
the  most  material  things  of  this  Life,  and  be  fitted  only  for 
such  pursuit  as  Saul  was  engaged  in  when  he  was  discovered 
by  Samuel.  Earnestness,  energy,  assiduous  endeavor  are 
the  characteristics  of  most  of  our  business  men,  and  if  these 
qualities  were  as  faithfully  directed  toward  spiritual  as  they 
are  toward  material  things  how  grand  the  result  would  be 
in  the  higher  and  purer  virtue  and  morality  and  integrity  of 
our  land  and  people !  There  are 

TWO  KINDS  OF  LABOR 

physical  and  intellectual — by  which  men  are  materialized  or 
spiritualized  as  the  case  may  be.  Let  us  look  at  the  con- 
dition of  our  first  parents  in  Eden;  there  labor  was  both  a 
blessing  and  a  curse.  It  was  a  blessing  when  it  developed 
the  higher  faculties  of  of  the  individual  soul;  it  was  a  curse 
when  it  kept  man  plodding  from  morn  to  night  for  the 
bread  that  he  and  his  family  might  eat.  And  thus  from 
Adam  to  Noah,  it  was  a  curse,  though  in  a  modified  sense. 
But  Xoah's  invention  of  the  plough  helped  to  lighten  labor, 
and  to  lessen  the  drudgery  of  agricultural  toil.  The  numer- 
ous labor-saving  machines  of  the  present  day  are  so  many 
means  for  increasing  the  opportunities  for  intellectual  de- 
velopment, rather  than  of  enriching  some  men  and  impover- 
ishing others.  Put  yourselves  in  the  way  of  the  sacred 
places  and  pious  people,  meet  in  your  synagogues  and  sanc- 
tuaries at  least  once  a  week  and  take  counsel  of  your 
prophets  and  rabbis,  that  so  you  may  develop  the  higher 
spiritual  faculties  of  your  nature,  and  become  other  and 
different  men  than  mere  materialistic  grovellers  of  earth. 


-118  — 

Woman's  Influence  in  the  Family  and  in  the  Church. 
August  30,  1873. 

"And  the  Lord  said  nnto  Abijah,  Behold,  the  wife  of  Jeroboam 
cometh  to  ask  a  thing  of  thee  for  her  son,  for  he  is  sick; 
thus  and  thus  ghalt  thou  say  to  her;  for  it  shall  be  when  she 
cometh  in,  that  she  shall  feign  herself  to  be  another  wornau." 

I.  Kings  XIV.,  5. 

RELIGION  is  the  supporting  staff  of  human  frailty.  The 
weak,  the  suffering,  the  needy,  experience  most  its  soothing 
and  consoling  influence.  The  strong  and  apparently  inde- 
pendent may  be  enticed  to  dispense  with  religion,  and  to 
rely  on  their  own  power  rather  than  on  the  mercy  of  the 
Most  High  for  salvation.  But  the  more  dependent  and  help- 
less are  moved  by  the  consciousness  of  their  condition  to 
seek  protection  and  aid  from  One  whose  might  is  never  fail- 
ing, and  whose  love  is  everlasting  aud  ever  ready  to  descend 
upon  the  meek.  Hence,  while  man  may  be  inclined  to  rebel 
against  God  and  ignore  His  commands,  woman's  meek  and 
submissive  heart  opens  cheerfully  to  all  the  hopes  and  good 
promises  which  inure  to  a  true  and  undaunted  faith.  TTheii 
the  Lord  God  said:  "It  is  not  good  for  man  to  be  alone,  I 
will  make  a  helpmate  for  him,"  the  merciful  intention  of  God 
was  not  confined  to  the  worldly  comfort  which  man  should 
derive  from  association  with  his  lawful  wife.  God  destined 
her  as  a  messenger  of  undivided  peace  for  the  sou  of  earth  ; 
her  task  was  to  sweeten  his  life  by  that  loving  care  which 
makes  a  man's  home  a  delight  for  him,  and  at  the  same  time 
the  gentleness  of  her  mind  was  to  exert  a  beneficent  in- 
fluence upon  his  ruder  nature,  and  so  she  was  to  become  a  help 
for  him  even  in  his  spiritual  affairs.  A  truly  pious  woman  is 
irresistible.  She  makes  us  turn  to  goodness,  gentleness, 
meekness  and  true  love;  she  brings  us  back  to  the  source  of 
all  these  qualities — to  religion.  Well  armed,  indeed,  is  the 
woman  who  in  the  fight  of  life  makes  religion  her  weapon. 
W\hat  else  could  compensate  for  her  deficiency  and  make  her 
strong  in  her  weakness?  By  what  other  means  could  she 
insure  her  own  contentment,  and  the  happiness  of  those  in- 
separably connected  with  her  heart?  A  mighty  queen,  with- 
out belief  in  God,  is  poor  and  forsaken,  but  the  poor  and 


—  119  — 

forsaken,  with  a  devoted  trust  in  the  All-merciful,  she  is 
elevated  to  the  most  noble  kingdom — female  excellency. 
Jeroboam  was  the  ruler  over  ten  tribes  of  the  people  of 
Israel.  Policy  and  inclination  made  him  recede  from  the 
belief  of  his  ancestors  and  institute  a  new  idolatrous  re- 
ligion. We  do  not  read  that  his  wife  made  any  effort  to  turn 
his  mind  in  the  right  path  and  to  bring  him  back  to  the 
Lord,  God  of  Israel.  Happy  in  her  place  as  a  queen  con- 
sort, surrounded  by  terrestrial  glory,  she  followed  rather  the 
wickedness  of  her  husband,  and  forgot  or  neglected  to  be 
what  she  was  destined  for — his  guardian  angel  in  the  time 
of  temptation.  Little  she  thought  that  there  might  come  a 
moment  when  she  would  gladly  exchange  all  her  splendor 
and  greatness  for  one  ray  of  religious  light.  But  sooner  or 
later  comes  to  us  all,  and  it  came  for  this  woman  also. 
Dear  as  the  crown  is  to  the  queen,  much  dearer  is  her  child 
to  the  mother.  Her  crown  was  safe,  but  her  child  was  in 
danger,  and  the  mighty  queen  was  a  despairing  beggar. 
When  affliction  visits  a  heart  wherein  God  dwells,  then 
prayer  is  at  hand  and  consolation  is  not  far,  for  the  Lord  is 
nigh  unto  all  those  who  call  on  Him  in  truth.  But  affection 
in  an  impious  heart  is  like  combustion  in  stubble,  where 
there  is  no  water  to  quench  the  raging  flame.  What  would 
this  woman  have  given,  if,  in  the  abundance  of  her  grief, 
she  could  have  poured  out  her  soul  before  the  Lord,  like 
afflicted  Hannah,  who  prayed  and  found  consolation? 
Jeroboam's  wife  was  not  prepared  to  meet  God  in  her 
affliction:  she  wanted  consolation  and  went  to  steal  it  under 
a  disguise.  She  approached  the  man  of  God  and  feigned 
herself  to  be  another  woman;  but  the  Lord's  eye  is  all- 
seeing,  and  he  cannot  be  deceived.  The  prophets  answer 
was:  "  Why  feignest  thou  thyself  to  be  another ?  For  I  am 
sent  to  thee  with  heavy  tidings."  Consolation  was  denied 
to  her,  and  the  woman  of  the  world  returned  with  despair 
in  her  heart,  experiencing  the  truth  that  in  the  Lord  only  is 
our  strength.  Exert  therefore  your  influence  in  your 
houses  that  the  fear  of  God  might  reign  there  supreme,  and 
that  by  your  example  your  husbands  and  children  might 


—  120  — 

feel  themselves  moved  to  repair  to  the  sanctuary  of  the 
Lord,  where  there  is  the  living  source  of  God's  word,  inspir- 
ing with  goodness  and  piety  all  who  listen  to  it  in  earnest- 
n3ss,  humility  and  faith. 


The  Prophet  and  the  Panic  calling  the  People 
to  Return  to  the  Lord. 

September  27,  1873. 

"O,  Israel,  retnrn  trato  the  Lord  thy  God,  for 
thou  hast  falieu  by  thine  iniquity." 

Ho  sea,  xiv.,  2. 

THE  invitation  contained  in  this  and  subsequent  verses 
of  this  chapter  are  important  to  us  at  all  times,  but  more 
especially  so  at  this  season  of  the  year,  which  is  pre-emi- 
nently consecrated  by  Judaism  to  the  holy  work  of 

SELF-PUKIFICATIOX  AXD 


with  our  Heavenly  Father.  The  prophet  exhorts  the  people 
to  consider  earnestly  how  deeply  they  were  ensnared  in  sin, 
and  how  far  astray  they  had  wandered  from  God,  and  at  the 
same  time  he  points  out  to  them  how  they  shall  escape  from 
the  entanglements  of  their  sins,  and  directs  them  at  once  to 
the  Lord,  who  is  rich  in  mercy  unto  all  who  call  upon  Him. 
But  the  sinner's  return  to  God  is  conditional.  He  must  view 
his  iniquity  in  its  true  and  proper  light.  No  man  likes  sin, 
but  many  do  enjoy  its  benefits.  They  look  upon  sin  in 
much  the  same  light  that  a  builder  looks  upon  his  scaffold- 
ing, it  helps  to  raise  the  structure.  If  their  work  does  not 
succeed,  if  the  walls  of  their  building  tumble  down  with  a 
crash,  of  course  they  are  sorry,  and  are  ready,  perhaps,  to 
acknowledge  the  faultiness  of  their  building  and  its  appur- 
tenances. There  are  many  penitent  stock  speculators  in  the 
market  to-day.  They  regret  the  collapse  of  their  houses 
and  their  fortunes  ;  but,  nevertheless,  they  are  prying,  if  not 
praying,  for  the  occasion  to  use  the  old  scaffold  and  to 
rebuild  after  the  old  style  again.  If  their  edifice  shall  stand 
or  if  it  shall  fall,  they  will  equally  discard  the  scaffold  by 
means  of  which  it  was  reared.  In  one  case  it  would  be  use- 


—  121  — 

less;  in  the  other  it  would  be  disfigurement  and  a  nuisance. 
It  is  not,  however,  ultimately  destroyed.  It  is  stored  away 
to  be  kept  for  future  use,  if  it  should  be  required.  You  can 
find  many  a  man  who  has  climbed  to  the  pinnacle  of  wealth 
on  the  ladder  of  iniquity.  In  his  exalted  position  he 
assumes  the  role  of  the  saint,  for  sin  would  mar  the  pride 
and  pleasure  of  his  glorious  exaltation.  But  in  some  corner 
of  his  heart  lurks  the  thought, 

"SIN'  IS  31 Y  GOOD  OLD  FRIEND; 

I  owe  to  him  all  I  have."  This  is  not  the  way  that  leads  to 
God.  "Woe  unto  him  that  buildeth  his  house  by  iniquity," 
says  the  prophet.  He  does  not  mean  woe  unto  him  when 
his  house  falls  down,  but  when  it  stands  in  all  its  strength 
and  beautiful  proportions,  when  it  is  admired  by  thousands 
and  tens  of  thousands  of  flatterers — woe  unto  him  even 
then.  For  sin,  whether  it  be  successful  or  not,  is  the 
mephitic  atmosphere  which  gathers  the  storm  cloud  of 
God's  anger  around  the  sinner's  head.  Sinner  whether 
thou  standest  high  or  low,  to  return  truly  to  God  thou 
must  be  conscious  that  thou  hast  fallen  by  thy  own  in- 
iquity. 

THE  SECOND  CONDITION 

of  an  acceptable  repentence  is  an  earnest  purpose  to  deserve 
forgiveness  for  the  past  by  an  untiring  endeavor  to  lead  a 
pure,  uncontaminated  life  in  the  future.  Not  by  empty 
ceremonies,  but  by  a  life  and  conduct  representing  in  all 
things  the  sublime  spirit  of  the  commandments  of  God  is 
His  favor  to  be  won.  Say  unto  God,  take  away  our  iniquity 
and  receive  us  graciously,  so  will  we  render  unto  Thee  the 
calves  of  our  lips.  In  contrast  to  the  prescribed  sacrifices 
of  the  temple  which  the  people  offered,  while  they  retained 
iniquity  in  their  hearts,  the  prophet  bids  them  render  unto 
God  the  calves  of  their  lips  as  an  evidence  or  symbol  of 
the  sincerity  of  their  hearts.  They  should  deserve  the 
grace  and  mercy  of  God,  by  a  faithful  adherence  to  His 
words.  Thou  hast  fallen  by  iniquity;  try  to  rise  by  equity 
and  virtue,  and  God  will  mercifully  forgive  thy  fault. 


—  122  — 

The  third  condition  is  to  cut  off  the  root  of  the  ev^, 
"Ashur  shall  not  save  us,  we  will  not  ride  upon  horses, 
neither  will  we  say  any  more  to  the  work  of  our  hands,  Ye 
are  our  Gods,  for  in  thee  the  fatherless  findeth  in  mercy." 
It  was  their  intimate  connection  with  Ashur  and  with  Egypt 
that  led  the  Israelites  to  desert  their  God  that  'they  might 
secure  the  good  services  of  these  nations  they  adopted  and 
imitated  their  idolatry. 

WANT  OF  CONFIDENCE  IN  GOD 

produced  apostacy;  therefore  their  return  to  the  Lord 
was  to  be  characterized  by  entirely  breaking  off  their  per- 
nicious connections,  and  trusting  alone  in  Him  in  whom 
the  fatherless  findeth  mercy.  Most  of  our  sins  are  the  result 
of  pernicious  connections  formed  without  a  true  faith  in 
God,  and  the  ultimate  condition  for  mercy  is  to  break  off 
all  sinful  alliances  however  profitable  they  may  be,  and 
trust  only  in  God,  our  everlasting  hope.  "Whoever,  in  con- 
clusion, will  carefully  observe  these  conditions  in  returning 
to  God,  will  find  the  promise  fulfilled;  "I  will  heal  their 
backslidings,  I  will  love  them  freely,  for  my  anger  is  turned 
away  from  them." 


The  Conflict  between  Life  and  Law.  —  Modern 

Times  better  than  the   Old. 

October  18,  1873. 

"And  there  ehall  be  a  path  and  a  way  and  a  holy 
way;  it  shall  be  called  the  way  of  holiness: 
No  unclean  shall  wall  therein." 

Isa:ah  XXXV.,  8. 

THE  children  of  Israel  had  no  sooner  left  Sinai  than  they 
began  to  murmur  for  meat  and  for  water,  and  to  doubt  the 
ability  of  that  God  who  had  already  done  so  much  to  supply 
these  gifts  to  them  in  the  wilderness.  Here  they  have  reared 
up  the  tabernacle  at  the  command  of  the  most  High,  and 
have  encamped  around  it  according  to  their  armies  and  their 
tribes,  each  under  its  own  banner.  The  Levites,  whose  duties 
called  them  to  carry  the  tabernacle  and  its  service,  are  to 


—  123  — 

lead  the  hosts  in  their  marcnes  from  place  to  place.  There 
must  be  no  clashing  pf  authority.  Each  must  have  his  own 
work  and  his  own  place  assigned  to  him;  for  order  is  heaven's 
first  law. 

Moses  and  Aaron  had  their  positions  to  occupy,  the  Lev- 
ites  theirs  and  then  the  several  tribes  in  their  order.  But 
there  were  men  in  the  camp  of  Israel,  as  there  are  in  every 
camp  who  can  not  patiently  submit  to  constituted  authori- 
ty and  have  no  regard  for  law  or  order.  Korah  and  his 
followers  revolted  against  the  jurisdiction  of  Moses  and  the 
priesthood  of  Aaron,  but  the  Lord  himself  swiftly  and  sum- 
marily cut  short  their  rebellious  spirit  and  purposes.  They 
had  come  to  the  borders  of  the  Holy  Land  and  Moses  had 
sent  spies  out  to  examine  and  report  the  nature  and  condi- 
tion of  the  country,  and  its  inhabitants,  and  upon  their  faith- 
ful or  faithless  report  depended  their  prolonged  or  brief 
stay  in  the  wilderness.  We  find  that  only  two  of  the  spies 
brought  back  a  faithful  and  true  report  of  the  land  and  its 
people,  and  for  the  unfaithfulness  of  the  rest  the  whole  host 
had  to  travel  up  and  down  and  hither  and  thither  in  the 
wilderness  for  40  years — each  year  to  represent  a  day  of 
the  previous  excursion  of  the  spies.  Baal,  king  of 
Moab  gathered  his  forces  against  them  but,  perceiving 
that  he  could  not  fight  with  any  assurance  of  success, 
he  called  for  Baalam  to  curse  them.  But  Baalam 
did  not  help  him  in  this  regard.  He  did,  however,  seduce 
the  people  into  the  idolatry  of  Moab  and  in  this  way  excited 
the  wrath  of  the  Almighty  against  them.  Then  came  another 
blow  to  Israel  in  the  death  of  Moses,  the  man  to  whom  they 
looked  to  lead  them  into  the  Promised  Land.  But  he  was 
simply  to 

LOOK  FROM  PISGAH'S  TOP 

and  see  the  land  before  him,  but  not  to  enter  there  in  him- 
self. His  lieutenant,  Joshua  was  to  take  his  place  and  from 
this  we  may  learn  a  few  things.  First  we  see  in  this  history 
the  conflict  between  life  and  law  begun  with  the  oldest  ge- 
neration of  Israelites  at  Sinai  But  the  law  triumphed,  and 


—  124  — 

not  one  of  that  generation  lived  to  enter  the  Holy  Land  save 
Caleb  and  Joshua.  All  the  others  died  in  the  desert.  And 
even  Moses,  the  leader,  disappeared;  and  now  there  is  no 
more  the  same  generation  nor  the  same  leader.  But  there 
is  a  new  generation  and  a  new  leader,  and  the  people  move 
forward  as  they  did  of  old.  And  from  this  we  may  learn, 
secondly  that  the  Church  of  God  does  not  depend  upon 
one  generation  or  one  leader,  but  is  independent  of  both. 
The  truth  is  always  standing  in  the  highway  of  which  the 
prophet  speaks,  and  leaders  and  generations  must  rise  up 
from  their  paths  and  byways  into  this  highway,  wherein 
110  thing  unclean  can  walk.  It  is,  therefore,  absurd  for  us  con- 
tinually to  laud  the  old  times  as  better  than  these.  The  com- 
parison will  not  hold  good,  either  physically,  intellectually 
or  spiritually.  There  was  greater  poverty  in  the  olden  times 
than  there  is  now.  There  was  then  nothing  between  riches 
and  poverty — no  middle  class  from  which  man  might  rise  to 
affluence  and  plenty.  And  where  there  is  no  middle  class 
in  society  there  must  be  extreme  poverty  and  extreme 
wealth.  We  should  therefore,  guard  against  these  extremes 
by  preserving,  so  far  as  we  can,  our  middle  classes.  To  be 
sure,  we  have  no  longer  prophets  as  of  old;  but  then  we 
have  culture  more  solid  and  complete,  intelligence  higher 
and  more  widespread,  and  morality  more  generally  prevail- 
ing among  the  people.  "We  do  not  want  to  do  away  with 
the  old  unless  it  obstructs  us  in  our  growth.  The  present 
leaders  may  not  be  what  they  ought  to  be — leaders;  but 
leaders  will  disappear  while  the  law  and  truth  of  God  shall 
stand  as  firmly  as  ever.  We  must  see  to  it  that  we  are  not 
the  unclean  who  are  prohibited  from  entering  into  the  holy 
way;  and  let  us  lead  the  young  in  the  way  of  the  Lord  our 
God.  In  old  times  men  fought  religious  wars  with  swords^ 
then  with  money,  but  now  they  fight  all  such  battles  with 
the  spirit  of  truth.  "For  it  is  not  by  might  nor  by  power, 
but  by  "  My  Spirit,"  said  the  Lord,  "that  such  victories  can 
be  obtained." 


125 


The  Seven  Lamps  and  the  Golden  Candle-stick. 
December  6th,  1873. 

"When  thou  lightest  the  lamps,  the  spven 
lamps  shall  give  light  over  against  the 
candle-stick." 

Numbers  VIII.,  2. 

NOT  because  the  Lord  needs  human  light  has  He  ordered 
to  kindle  lamps  in  the  holy  place  of  His  special  presence. 
"  He  knoweth  what  is  in  the  darkness  and  the  light  dwelleth 
with  Him."  This  commandment  intends  rather  to  turn 
the  human  spirit  to  the  fountain-head  of  light.  Every  man 
is  endowed  with  an  immortal  spark,  the  soul.  There  is  a 
latent  faculty  in  this  spark  to  expand,  but  not  without 
proper  nourishment.  As  the  seed  needs  the  rain  to  develop 
it  into  a  plant  and  to  bear  fruit,  so,  by  the  aid  of  the 
heavenly  food,  the  religious  light,  the  soul  becomes  a  culti- 
vated spirit.  The  spark  develops  into  a  lamp,  showing  us 
the  right  path  to  a  virtuous  life.  A  man  might  say  he  cared 
little  for  religion,  and  followed  his  natural  disposition, 
giving  to  the  poor  and  supporting  the  needy,  not  because 
religion  commands  it,  but  because  he  felt  disposed  so;  and 
then  ask,  is  it  not  all  the  same  whether  he  was  actuated  by 
this  or  by  another  motive,  as  long  as  his  action  coincides 
with  what  men  call  virtue?  It  is  by  no  means  all  the  same. 
In  the  first  place,  in  a  being  endowed  with  moral  conscious- 
ness, as  man  is,  we  cannot  separate  the  action  from  the 
motive.  No  good  action  can  excuse  a  bad  motive,  nor  can  a 
good  motive  improve  a  bad  action.  To  separate  one  from 
the  other  is  to  sever  the  bond  between  body  and  soul.  It  is 
to  say,  "my  virtue  is  the  result  of  my  religious  principles, 
which  means  nothing  else  than  that  my  soul  has  become 
enlightened  by  divine  truth  to  acknowledge  this  line  of 
action  as  the  only  one  conducive  to  my  salvation ;  from  this 
path  I  will  not  recede,  and  if  I  meet  with  hardships  and 
hindrances  I  will  struggle  for  the  victory.  I  will  not  recoil; 
my  conviction  shall  make  me  steadfast."  But  a  virtue 
growing  out  from  a  mere  natural  disposition,  withovit  being 
supported  by  religioiis  principle  is  like  that  poor  ship 
Ville  du  Havre.  Unsuspicious  of  danger,  she  sails  in  the 


—  126  — 

darkness — a  sudden  collision,  a  vehement  shock,  and  ruin 
and  death  break  in  where  a  moment  before  all  were  safe  on 
board.  Uncertain  are  the  waters  of  temper;  you  cannot 
know  when  the  storm  of  passion  may  rise  that  will  overhowl 
the  voice  of  your  natural  good  disposition  and  wreck  the 
ship  of  your  virtue  on  the  hidden  rocks  of  selfish  "vices. 
"He  was  a  good-natured  man,  but  temptation  was  too 
strong  for  him  and  he  fell  in  sin."  That  is  a  story  that 
repeats  itself  a  thousand  times  a  day,  but  you  seldom  hear 
it  said:  "He  was  a  well-principled  man,  but  temptation 
was  too  strong  for  him."  Principle  is  a  mighty  shield.  The 
power  to  resist  is  the  criterion  between  a  virtue  derived 
from  the  firm  belief  in  a  supreme  ideal  of  perfectness  and 
a  virtue  emanating  from  the  unreliable  source  of  good 
disposition.  The  former  is  as  the  shining  light  that  shineth 
more  and  more  unto  the  perfect  day.  The  latter  is  like  an 
ignis  fatuus ;  it  leads  you  astray  and  then  expires.  Religion 
is  a  creative  power  in  man;  it  brings  him  up  to  the  full 
growth  of  manhood.  That  conceited  belief  in  man's  own 
wisdom,  however,  leaves  many  dormant  faculties  in  him  un- 
developed, and  leads  him  to  a  state  of  childishness  rather 
than  to  manhood.  Behold  King  Solomon !  He  is  called  the 
wisest  of  men;  he  asked  God  for  wisdom  to  govern  the 
people,  but  not  to  govern  himself.  He  accomplished  a  great 
work,  but  all  his  doings  bear  the  stamp  of  a  proud  and 
worldly  genius.  True,  he  builds  a  magnificent  temple  unto 
the  Lord,  but  he  also  builds  magnificent  palaces  for  him- 
self and  his  wives.  He  makes  gold  and  silver  vessels  for 
the  holy  service,  but  not  less  pompous  is  his  own  household. 
"What  we  miss  in  him  is  that  humble  submission  which  is 
characteristic  of  true  belief.  He  is  the  wisest  of  men,  he 
follows  his  own  wisdom.  But  where  does  that  lead  him  to? 
It  is  clearly  stated  in  the  Bible — "For  it  came  to  pass  when 
Solomon  was  old  that  his  wives  turned  away  his  heart  after 
other  gods;  and  his  heart  was  not  perfect  with  his  Lord, 
his  God,  as  was  the  heart  of  David,  his  father."  So  that  he 
who  began  his  reign  with  the  Lord's  promise — "There  shall 
be  none  like  thee  " — ends  it  with  the  sad  prospect  that  the 


—  127  — 

greater  part  of  his  kingdom  shall  be  torn  away  from  his 
son.  The  reverse  of  this  admonishing  picture  we  see  in 
Abraham.  He  begins  with  obedience  toward  God,  and 
marks  out  one  line  for  himself,  which  he  follows  through 
the  whole  of  his  life.  And  Abraham  believed  in  God;  the 
same  submission  in  the  will  of  God  is  exhibited  by  him, 
whether  as  the  poor  emigrant  or  as  the  rich  nabob.  Humil- 
ity toward  God  raises  him  to  the  high  position  of  the  friend  of 
God.  The  prophet  Isaiah  calls  him  the  "rock  from  whence 
ye  are  hewn."  And  indeed  a  rock  he  was;  often  tried,  he 
never  was  shaken  in  his  belief.  Every  new  trial  engendered 
new  virtues  in  him:  his  soul  drank  with  holy  thirst  the 
waters  from  the  eternal  spring,  and  he  became  strong  in 
faith  and  radiant  with  a  never  fading  light.  There  are  seven 
lamps  for  men — wealth,  love,  esteem,  health,  beauty,  good 
disposition  and  intellect.  "  When  thou  lightest  the  lamps, 
the  seven  lamps  shall  give  light  over  against  the  candle- 
stick." Be  always  guided  in  the  enjoyment  of  the  heavenly 
gifts,  by  the  consciousness  that  with  God  is  the  fountain  of 
life,  and  in  His  light  shall  we  see  light. 


Progress  and  Development  the  Law  of  Morals 

as  well  as  of  Physics. 

July  4,  1874. 

"Ye  shall  not  do  after  all  the  thing;)  that  we 
do  here  this  day,  every  man  whatsoever 
Is  right  in  his  own  eyes.  For  ye  are  not 
as  yet  come  to  the  rest  and  to  toe  in- 
heritance which  tho  Lord  your  God  giveth 
you." 

Deut.  XII.,  8,9. 

MOSES  spake  these  words  to  Israel  in  the  last  year  of 
their  wanderings  through  the  desert,  after  he  had  im- 
parted to  them  the  laws  and  commandments  of  God.  They 
had  already  their  sanctuary,  their  priests  and  Levites,  their 
rites  of  worship  and  rules  of  conduct  in  all  relations  of  life; 
at  the  same  time  instances  tell  us  that  a  most  punctual  ob- 
edience to  the  divine  commandments  was  rigorously  en- 
forced from  the  confessors.  It  was  a  capital  crime  for  a  non- 


—  128  — 

priest  to  approach  to  such  service  as  belonged  only  to  the 
sacerdotal  tribe.  How  the  discipline  among  the  priests  was 
maintained  is  sufficiently  exemplified  by  the  sad  fate  of 
Aaron's  sons,  Nadab  and  Abihu.  An  instance  of  Sabbath 
violation  occured,but  the  guilty  one  was  promptly  punished 
with  death.  One  dared  to  blaspheme  the  name  of  God,  and 
he  had  to  pay  with  his  life  for  it  Besides  these  individual 
cases  we  read  that  every  murmur,  opposition  and  revolt  of 
the  congregation  against  the  will  of  the  Lord  was  im- 
mediately followed  by  severe  divine  punishments.  In  the 
face  of  all  these  facts  we  are  justified  to  draw  the  conclusion 
that  strict  order  had  been  early  established  under 

THE    JfEW    THEOCRATIC    CONSTITUTION, 

and  the  words  of  our  text  must  consequently  rouse  a  certain 
degree  of  surprise  in  our  mind,  for  they  seem  to  suggest 
the  idea  that  there  was  no  law,  no  obedience,  but  that  every 
man  shaped  a  law  according  to  his  convenience  and  did  as 
he  deemed  right  in  his  own  eyes.  A  closer  perusal  of  the 
Scriptural  passage,  however,  shows  the  main  idea  contained 
therein  is  to  teach  us  a  lesson,  most  important  in  religious 
as  in  political  life.  We  are  made  aware  of  the  truth  that  the 
theory  of  development  must  serve  as  the  foundation  for 
every  human  institution.  In  religion  the  divine  truth  re- 
mains the  same  forever,  but  the  embodiment  of  these  truths 
changes  with  the  time  and  its  requirements.  The  successive 
ages  form  a  chain,  each  age  being  a  link  of  peculiar  foi'ina- 
tion,  but  all  are  wrought  of  the  same  material.  The  Israel- 
itish  religion  is  the  mountain  of  the  Lord,  and  like  a  moun- 
tain it  has  its  various  strata,  each  layer  bearing  evidence  of 
the  period  to  which  it  belongs.  Israel's  religion  in  the  de- 
sert at  the  time  of  the  prophets,  of  the  Synagoga  Magna,  of 
the  Talmud,  of  the  Middle  Ages  and  of  the  modern  period 
bears  its  distinctive  characteristics  ;  each  rising  period  had 
to  fight  itself  into  existence,  new  problems  had  to  be  solved 
and  new  questions  to  be  answered.  The  application  of  old 
theories  to  new  circumstances  and  relations  challenged  the 
human  mind  to  abandon  the  latter  and  to  penetrate  into  the 
subsoil  of  the  spirit. 


—  129  — 

The  rising  generation,  seeing  things  take  a  new  and  un- 
traditional  shape,  rose  in  defence  of  the  old,  cherished  cus- 
toms, and  charged  the  innovators  with  heresy.  But  in  vain  was 
every  attempt  to  hold  back  a  progressive  development. 
There  has  been  no  dam  strong  enough  to  stop  the  flood  of 
progress  since  Moses  said:  "Ye  shall  not  do  after  all  the 
things  that  we  do  here  this  day."  The  consciousness  lives 
in  the  Israelitish  inind  that  each  generation  has  the  right — 
nay,  the  duty— to  take  an  active  part  in  shaping  the  religious 
practices  of  his  age  according  to  the  requirements  of 
his  time.  The  spirit  of  Israel's  religious  condition  is  the 
same  in  our  days  as  it  was  when  the  law-giver  lived  in  the 
midst  of  His  people.  But  we  understand  the  inspired  ser- 
vant of  the  Lord  too  well  to  stand  still  when  he  wants  us  to 
go  forward  on  the  path  of  religious  culture.  The  occasion 
prompts  us  to  show  that  the  same  principle  prevails  in 
political  affairs.  We  celebrate  on  this  Sabbath  also  the  gala 
day  of  the  American  nation,  the  memorial  day  of  the  inde- 
pendence of  this  country.  Blessed  be  the  memory  of  those 
who  bought  with  their  life  -  blood  the  fredoom  of  their 
homes!  Twice  blessed  the  memory  of  those  who  chartered 
and  sealed  this  freedom  by  framing  a  constitution  which 
seds  an  immortal  lustre  upon  the  wrisdom  of  all  who  were 
engaged  in  this  work  of 

POLITICAL  SALVATION! 

But  the  run  of  ninety-eight  years  brought  different  quest- 
ions to  the  surface,  created  new  situations,  and  the  follow- 
ing generations  were  called  upon  to  make  provisions  for 
new  necessities.  They  could  not  withdraw  from  this  task, 
they  could  not  point  to  the  original  charter  of  the  nation, 
saying: — ""We  have  our  old  constitution;  we  cannot  add  to 
or  detract  from  that  which  is  written  therein."  But  they 
had  to  consult  the  old  and  noble  spirit  of  their  organic  law, 
and  in  accordance  with  it  they  answered  such  questions  as 
that  relating  to  slavery,  and  by  following  up  the  principle 
of  active  development  they  invigorated  and  rejuvenated 
that  old  blessed  instrument  to  a  wonderful  degree.  They 
would  have  marred  and  deformed  it  had  they  listened  to 


—  130  — 

the  insinuations  of  those  who  know  so  little  of  the  spirit  of 
our  constitution  as  to  want  it  Christianized.  The  second 
verse  of  our  text,  cannot  be  said  now  of  Israel  in  this 
country,  "For  ye  are  not  as  yet  come  to  the  rest  and  to  the 
inheritance  which  the  Lord  your  God  giveth  you."  Abra- 
ham's posterity  has  found  a  prosperous  home  in  this 
country.  This  secular  success,  far  from  turning  their 
hearts  from  Him  who  bestows  all  blessing,  ought  to  make 
the  confessors  of  the  ancient  covenant  zealous  in  their 
religious  duties  and  eager  to  show  to  all  the  world  the 
eternal  glory  of  that  truth  which  was  entrusted  to  Jacob's 
seed  and  which  remains  forever  the  basis  of  salvation  for 
mankind. 


The  Standard  of  Heart  Purity  raised  by  Solomon. 
September  9,  1876. 

"Who  can  eay,  I  have  made  my  heart  pure,  I  am 

cleansed  f  roiu  my  Bin  ? 

Divers  weights  and  direr s  measures  are  both  of 
them  alike  an  abomination  c  f  the  Lord.'' 

XX  Proverbs,  9, 10. 

THESE  few  sentences  01  the  inspired  book  are  peculiarly 
fitted  to  remind  the  worshipper  of  the  approaching  holy 
season.  It  is  by  no  means  advisable  to  enter  upon  an  im- 
portant period  without  due  preparation,  and  therefore  the 
admonition  of  the  biblical  wise  man  may  furnish  us  with 
instruction  how  we  shall  purify  our  minds  and  cleanse  the 
chambers  of  our  hearts  in  order  that  we  may  step  nearer  to 
the  Eternal  King  who  sitteth  on  the  throne  of  justice.  Xo 
doubt  he  that  is  able  to  say  of  himself,  "  I  have  made  my 
heart  pure,  I  am  cleansed  from  my  sin"  will  be  the  most  wel- 
come before  the  Lord.  But  as  the  means  to  perform  this 
difficult  task,  the  inspired  instructor  in  these  Proverbs  gives 
us  the  dry  advice,  "Divers  weights  and  divers  measures 
are  both  of  them  an  abomination  of  the  Lord."  That  this  is 
b'terally  true  is  confirmed  by  reading  Deuteronomy  xxv. 
But  why  may  we  not  ask,  among  so  many  other  things  that 
might  have  been  selected  were  false  weights  and  measures 


—  131  — 

made  the  standard  of  a  pure  heart  ?  At  first  view,  it  seems 
difficult  to  understand,  but  the  difficulty  is  cleared  away  when 
the  following  parable  is  understood.  The  human  heart,  be- 
coming dissatisfied  with  its  station  and  functions,  appeared  as 
a  complainant  before  the  Creator  and  spoke : — "The  burden 
which  thou  hast  laid  on  me  is  too  heavy,  I  am  like  a  target 
exposed  to  every  shot,  all  the  pains  and 

ALL  THE  SORROWS  OF  MANS, 

I  have  to  bear  them."  Benignantly  the  Lord  replied  : — "If 
thou  art  the  first  to  feel  the  sorrow  art  thou  not  the  first  to 
receive  the  gladness  of  joy?  The  stormy  days  are  the  excep- 
tion, a  quiet  and  peaceful  time  is  the  rule.  Why  art  thou 
not  thankful  for  the  joys?  and  hope  and  be  truthful  in  all 
circumstances  ?"  The  heart  was  satisfied  on  this  point  but 
another  care  weighed  on  itand  submissively  it  continued  : — " 
There  is  another  thing,  my  Creator,  which  confounds  and 
annoys  me  very  much.  The  two  little  chambers  which  Thou 
hast  created  in  me  are  overcrowded  with  sentiments,  inclina- 
tions and  desires  of  opposite  nature.  All  of  them  are 
urgent  in  their  demand  to  be  satisfied.  How  can  I  alone 
investigate,  discriminate,  judge  and  decide  without  being 
constantly  in  danger  of  erring  in  judgment  and  mistaking 
right  for  wrong  or  wrong  for  right  ?  See,  my  Lord,  this  is 
too  heavy  a  task  for  me !  "  Be  easy  poor  heart,"  replied  the 
All  merciful,  "  I  will  lighten  thy  work.  There,  hang  up  this 
balance  in  thy  chambers,  its  name  is  Conscience,  lay  thy 
sentiments,  inclinations  and  desires  on  its  scales  and  thou 
shalt  not  for  a  moment  be  left  in  doubt"  With  this  preci- 
ous gift,  the  heart  retired  to  the  seclusion  of  its  dominion,, 
and  for  awhile  everything  went  right.  The  balance  was 
continually  active  and,  according  to  its  decisions,  sentiments 
and  desires  were  admitted  or  dismissed.  But  the  senses 
became  dissatisfied  with  this  state  of  things  and  determined 
not  to  submit ;  they  conspired  to  defeat  the  new  order. 
They  agreed,  therefore,  that  whenever  a  sensuous  desire 
was  placed  on  the  scale  of  conscience  they  would  clandes- 
tinely pull  the  strings  until  the  balance  went  down  and  the 
heart,  judging  by  the  weight  accepted  the  wrong  for  right 


—  132  — 

This  brought  affairs  in  the  chambers  of  the  heart  to  a  sad 
change ;  so  that  whereas  formerly 

CONSCIENCE  INFALLIBLY    INDICATED  RIGHT  AND  WKONG, 

no  matter  what  "was  placed  before  or  upon  it,  now  if  the 
actions  of  a  fellow  man  were  to  be  weighted  and  the  desires  and 
passions  had  any  interest  therein  the  judgment  was  partial 
and  severe.  Self  interest  always  turned  the  scale  under  the 
new  order.  The  poor  deceived  heart  said  to  itself,  "I  am  so 
much  better  than  others,  I  follow  always  my  conscience." 
It  said  so  and  thought  so  until  the  saddest  consequences 
roused  it  to  the  terrible  consciousness,  that  trusting  to  its 
false  balances  it  stood  now  at  the  brink  of  moral  ruin.  "  My 
Lord,"  the  heart  cried  now,  in  anguish,  "  there  is  something 
the  matter  with  the  balance ;  it  is  spoiled,  it  needs  repair." 
"The  balance  is  good,  but  the  weights  are  bad,"  replied  the 
Lord,  "  Be  watchful  over  the  weights  and  thou  wilt  find  the 
balance  right"  "\Vhocan  say,  "I  have  made  my  heart  pure, 
I  am  cleansed  from  my  sin  ?"  He  who  keeps  in  mind,  that 
divers  weights  and  divers  measures  are  an  abomination  to 
the  Lord.  Be  therefore  in  the  judgment  of  your  own  senti- 
ments, actions  and  purposes  as  severe  as  you  are  when  you 
weigh  the  actions  and  motives  of  others,  and  be  as  mild 
toward  others'  feelings  as  you  are  toward  your  own.  Then 
will  your  hearts  be  pure  according  to  the  standard  of  the 
wise  man. 


Evolution  or  Creation.    The  End  of  Perfection 
only  found  in  God. 

October  4,  1876. 

"  I  have  seen  an  end  of  all  perfection,  but  thy 
commandment  is  exceeding  broad." 

Psalms  CXIX,  96. 

IN  many  of  his  sacred  songs,  the  sweet  singer  of  Israel 
gives  utterance  to  his  profound  love  for  the  sanctuary  of 
God.  As  the  heart  panted  after  the  water  brooks,  so  panted 
his  soul  after  the  living  God.  He  is  greatly  rejoiced  when 
others  say,  "  Let  us  walk  to  the  house  of  the  Lord."  In  the 


—  133  — 

courts  of  His  house  the  psalmist  would  love  to  dwell  for- 
ever. The  pith  of  this  inspired  poetry  is,  "  How  amiable 
are  thy  tabernacles,  O  Lord  of  Hosts !  My  soul  longeth,  yea, 
even  panteth  for  the  courts  of  the  Lord ;  my  heart  and  my 
flesh  crieth  out  for  the  living  God?!"  This  panting  of  his 
heart,  this  longing  of  his  soul,  however,  is  not  an  indefinite, 
unconscious  and  dim  sentiment  of  which  he  can  give  no  ac- 
count to  himself,  why  and  wherefore  he  panteth  and  longeth. 
The  chief  musician  was  at  the  same  time  a  profound  thinker. 
Read  his  description  of  the  marvels  of  nature;  earth  and 
heaven,  land  and  sea  are  the  objects  of  his  close  investigation, 
and  what  he  says  about  them  in  his  songs  shows  that  he 
knows  more  than  he  utters  and  it  is  this  knowledge  of  nat- 
ure that  leads  him  step  by  step  to  the  reverent  and  faithful 
recognition  of  nature's  God.  There  are  men  and  they  are 
so  numerous  in  these  days,  that  we  may  term  them  a  class, 
who  look  upon  science  as  upon  the  executioner's  sword,  and 
upon  faith  as  the  poor  condemned,  and  the  great  work  of 
the  former  is  to  inflict  the  fatal  stroke  on  the  latter.  "When 
we  had,  a  short  time  ago  the  renowned  and  devoted  ex- 
pounder of  the  theory  of  evolution  in  our  midst,  this  class 
greeted  his  presence  as  the  signal  of  battle  against  religion 
and  regarded  his  lectures  as  the  song  of  songs  of  scepti- 
cism and  unbelief.  How  far  they  are  justified  in  their  view 
or  whether  their  superficial  opinion  about  the  conflict  be- 
tween science  and  true  religion  is  shared  by  the  genuine 
champions  of  scientific  progress  or  not,  we  may  best  learn 
from  the  wrords  of  the  same  man  whom  they  regard  as  one 
of  the  banner  bearers  of  modern  science.  The  same  ren- 
owned professor  to  whom  we  listened  a  few  weeks  ago  has 
in  one  of  his  former  lectures  the  following  remarkable  pas- 
sage : — "All  human  inquiry  must  stop  somewhere ;  all  our 
knowledge,  and  all  our  investigation  cannot  take  us  beyond 
the  limits  set  by  the  finite  and  restricted  character  of  our 
faculties,  or 

DESTROY  THE  ENDLESS  UNKNOWN, 

which  accompanies  like  its  shadow  the  endless  procession  of 
phenomena.     So  far  as  I  can  venture  to  offer  an  opinion  on 


—  134  — 

such  a  matter,  the  purpose  of  our  being  iu  existence,  the 
highest  object  that  human  beings  can  set  before  themselves, 
is  not  the  pursuit  of  any  such  chimera  as  the  annihilation  of 
the  unknown,  but  it  is  simply  the  unwearied  endeavor  to 
remove  its  boundaries  a  little  further  from  our  little  sphere 
of  action."  This  modest  acknowledgement  opens  the  door  to 
religion  and  makes  its  revelations  the  precious  complement 
of  all  human  knowledge.  The  gap  of  the  endless  unknown 
can  be  overbridged  only  by  the  intelligence  of  an  All- wise 
Creator,  and  the  little  sphere  of  human  action  can  be  en- 
larged and  ennobled  only  by  the  recognition  of  a  Divine 
LawT,  which  defines  clearly  the  purpose  of  our  being  in  ex- 
istence, the  highest  object  that  human  beings  can  set  before 
them,  which  is,  to  walk  after  the  Lord,  our  God,  to  recog- 
nize Him  as  the  highest  ideal  of  moral  purity  and  to  quench 
our  spiritual  thirst  iu  the  living  waters  which  emanate  from 
the  fountain  head  of  wisdom,  from  His  Divine  Word.  Sec- 
ular knowledge  embraces  finite  objects  and  though  it  sheds 
light  into  our  souls,  it  never  can  satisfy  us  in  regard  to  the 
endless  unknown.  Spiritual  knowledge,  however,  removes 
the  barriers,  furnishes  the  soul  with  wings  to  soar  high 
above  our  little  planet  to  celestial  spheres,  where  she  is 
allowed  to  see  Him  who  is  the  Endless  One,  and  while  con- 
templating Him,  she  becomes  imbued  with  joyous  satisfac- 
tion, that  she  too  is  endless,  being  the  image  of  Him  who 
created  her.  This  is  the  philosophy  of  our  psalmist ;  such 
are  the  conclusions  he  draws  from  what  he  knows  about 
nature.  "  Forever,  O  Lord,"  he  declares,  "  thy  word  is 
settled  in  Heaven."  He  shows  how  God  has  established  the 
earth  and  she  abideth,  now  all  natural  things  continue 
according  to  the  ordinance  of  their  Creator  for  all  are  His 
servants  .  "Without  intelligence,  without  free  will  they  ne- 
cessarily follow  the  path  prescribed  for  them.  There, 
however,  is  man,  I  do  not  think  that  the  Psalmist  looked 
upon  man  as 

THE  PRODUCT  OF  EVOLUTION, 

but  it  makes  no  difference  whether  he  did  or  not.  Man  at 
his  time  was  just  the  same  as  now  endowed  with  the  same 


—  135  — 

faculties,  subject  to  the  same  shortcomings  and  enjoying  the 
same  spiritual  preferences.  Man  with  his  free  will,  with  his 
capacity  of  spiritual  growth,  with  his  centrifugal  inclination 
which  draws  In'm  from  the  path  of  salvation.  Man,  as  he 
was  then  and  as  he  is  now,  needed  and  needs  more  than  the 
mechanical  law  by  which  the  rest  of  nature  is  governed.  He 
needs  a  special  code  for  his  soul,  or  else  the  essential  part 
which  makes  him  man,  becomes  overshadowed  and  vic- 
timized by  that  inferior  part  which  he  shares  with  the  rest 
of  visible  nature.  "Unless  Thy  law  had  been  my  delight," 
said  David,  "I  should  long  since  have  been  lost  in  my  afflic- 
tion." With  God's  law  there  is  for  our  soul  light,  joy,  and 
everlasting  growth;  without  it  darkness,  dreariness,  and 
dwindling  down  to  a  mere  shadow.  Necessary  as  the  know- 
ledge of  the  things  around  us  is,  it  cannot  compensate 
for  the  knowledge  of  that  which  works  in  us,  and  He  who 
rules  above  us. 

Man's  soul,  with  its  intimate  relation  to  God,  is  a 
specialty;  and,  therefore,  perfect  as  the  laws  of  nature  are, 
they  do  not  cover  the  ground  of  our  spiritual  life.  We  need 
a  special  law — we  need  religion.  "I  have  seen  an  end  to  all 
perfection,  but  thy  commandment  is  exceedingly  broad." 
Let  the  house  of  God  be  what  it  is  destined  to  be,  the  place 
of  spiritual  enlightenment;  let  the  devotee  come  there  with 
the  earnest  purpose  to  strengthen  his  soul  by  the  teachings 
of  salvation,  and  we  shall  soon  experience  the  truth  that 
God's  commandment  is  for  man  perfection  without  end. 


A  Set  Back  to  nationalism.    The  Inspiration  of 
Hope  in  Immortality  Enforced. 

November  4,  1876. 

"Say  ye  to  the  righteous  that  it  shall  be 
weil  with  him,  for  they  sball  cat  the 
fruit  of  their  doings.  Wo  3  unto  the 
wicked,  it  shall  be  ill  With  him,  for  the 
reward  of  his  hands  shall  be  given 

him." 

Isaiah,  III.,  10,  11. 

THIS  Scripture  is  more  true  than  we  are  aware   or  are 
perhaps  willing  to  concede  in  our  daily  life,  for  the  fruit  of 


—  136    - 

their  doings  shall  they,  the  wicked,  eat  Our  whole  life  in 
its  daily  events  is  nothing  more  than  the  reflex  of  faith. 
The  brighter  that  life  shines,  the  brighter  the  reflex,  and  the 
more  dim  faith  becomes  the  more  dark  and  gloomy  become 
the  secular  affairs  of  life.  Some  persons  think  that  the 
great  principles  of  religion  are  but  holiday  garments,  to  be 
put  on  for  stated  occasions,  bu^  of  little  account  at  other 
times.  This  is  a  mistake.  They  are  the  working  garments 
for  every-clay  life,  to  protect  us  from  the  colds  and  heats 
and  the  unchanging  winds  of  the  moral  atmosphere — the 
shifting  opinions  of  the  community !  Take,  for  instance,  the 
belief  in  immortality — the  happy  hereafter.  Has  that  noth- 
ing to  do  with  our  daily  life?  -It  has  very  much.  Do  we  not 
need  hope  and  the  inspirations  of  hope  at  every  step  in  our 
life  ?  Do  not  the  sick  and  the  dying  need  hope  and  a  hope 
of  the  hereafter?  There  is  something  in  the  breast  of  every 
human  being  that  hopes  and  and  that  must  have  scope  for 
the  exercise  of  its  longings  and  aspirations.  And  shall  we 
say  that  while  men  have  hope  here  that  hope  expires  with 
their  mortal  life  ?  "We  can't  admit  it.  The  heart  of  humanity 
repels  the  idea  and  revolts  against  the  doctrine.  But  from 
whom  did  man  learn  to  hope?  He  might  have  learned  to 
carry  burdens  from  beasts  of  burden;  he  might  have  learned 
ideas  of  industry  from  the  bee  or  the  ant,  or  architecture 
from  the  bird  or  the  bee,  but  neither  insect  nor  bird  nor 
beast  could  have  taught  him  to  hope.  It  is  something  that 
nature  could  not  have  imparted  to  him.  Outward  things  do 
not  teach  us  to  hope.  They  do  not  inspire  this  quality  in 
man.  To  be  sure,  Job  says  the  tree  hath  hope,  but  man, 
where  is  he  ?  These  words  of  Job  are  not  the  last  words  in 
the  Bible,  and  even  Job  adds  exultingly:  "I  know  that  my 
Kedeemer  liveth!"  This  shows  that  the  hope  of  immortality 
is  in  the  human  heart,  and  the  reflex  of  this  is  that  hope 
manifested  in  our  daily  life,  and  in  our  transactions  with  our 
fellow  men.  And  still  there  are  many  men  who  would  ex- 
tinguish the  great  hope  in  the  heart  of  humanity — the  be- 
lief in  the  immortality  of  the  soul;  the  belief  in  the  here- 
after. They  would,  if  they  could,  wipe  it  out  altogether 


—  137  — 

from  human  consciousness.  But  still  men  hope  the  same  as 
ever.  Philosophy  teaches  that  if  you  cut  away  the  roots  the 
branches  will  wither,  and  if  we  want  to  have  hope  we  must 
believe  in  the  hereafter  and  in  the  soul's  immortality.  Other- 
wise naught  but  darkness  and  gloom  will  exist  for  us. 
Now,  if  I  have  the  Croton  water  in  my  house  and  can  draw 
on  it  whenever  I  please,  are  not  the  means  by  which  it  is 
brought  to  my  home  of  minor  consequence  ?  And  what 
would  you  think  of  the  water  purveyors  who  would  allow 
that  element  to  become  so  scarce  that  it  would  disappear 
first  from  one  floor  and  then  from  another,  and  who  should 
then  tell  you  to  be  careful  of  the  rest  and  not  wash  your- 
selves too  often  lest  you  waste  it?  You  see  at  once  that  the 
time  to  look  out  for  the  scarcity  of  water  is  before  the 
scarcity  comes,  and  the  time  to  lay  hold  of  the  hope  of  im- 
mortality is  before  you  go  into  the  hereafter.  Now,  every 
cup  of  life's  joy  is  drawn  from  religion.  There  is  no  joy  in 
Jife  that  is  not 

PRODUCED  BY  RELIGION. 

And  can  we  enjoy  the  gifts  of  religion  and  yet  neglect  or 
ignore  its  source  ?  If  we  would  have  the  waters  of  salvation 
in  abundance  we  must  guard  well  the  fountains  and  the 
streams  thereof.  The  spring  is  not,  however,  in  ourselveSj 
but  is  away  in  the  distance — in  God.  Or,  take  another  illus- 
tration. After  a  man  has  gathered  in  his  harvests  and 
fruits,  do  you  think  he  would  be  foolish  enough  to  say, 
"Why  can't  I  have  fruits  without  trees  and  harvests  without 
tilling  or  sowing  the  ground  ?"  and  straightway  cut  down 
his  fruit  trees  and  cease  his  planting?  He  would  not  realize 
his  mistake  and  his  loss  until  he  had  exhausted  the  contents 
of  his  storehouse  and  granary.  But  then,  as  he  looked  for 
the  harvest  and  the  orchard,  whose  fruits  were  to  replenish 
them,  he  would  realize  to  late,  perhaps,  that  his  mistake  or 
his  neglect  was  fatal.  Even  so  will  it  be  with  the  man  who 
throws  away  his  hope  of  immortality  and  runs  after  an 
ethical  or  philosophical  phantom.  This  picture  ought  to 
enable  us  to  understand  the  rationalistic  tendencies  of  c\ir 
times  and  the  consequent  miseries  thereof.  Our  men  remem- 


—  138  — 

her  the  fathers  who  taught  them  religion,  and  our  women 
weep  as  they  remember  the  mothers  from  whom  they  first 
received  the  inspirations  of  religious  hope.  Even  those  who 
now  fight  against  religion — they  learned  better  in  other 
days.  But  now  they  look  upon  the  rich  harvest  which  faith 
and  hope  have  produced,  and  they  think  they  can  have  as 
good  harvests  without  those  grand  inspirations  as  they  have 
had  with  them.  But  in  the  production  of  results 

THE  LAW  OF  MORALS 

corresponds  to  that  of  physics,  and  the  man  who  does  not 
sow  and  plant  can't  gather  and  reap  nor  fill  his  barns  with 
the  fruits  of  the  earth,  nor  his  soul  and  life  with  the  riches 
of  faith.  And  suppose  the  rationalistic  policy  should  pre- 
vail; the  time  might  come  when  the  world  would  want  men 
to  battle  with  infidelity,  and  where  would  they  come  from  ? 
The  picture  of  what  exists  now  in  part,  but  what  will  cer- 
tainly exist  in  a  deplorable  degree  if  the  sceptical  counsels 
of  some  teachers  thrive  and  bring  forth  the  hoped  for  har- 
vests is  aptly  described  by  Solomon  in  proverbs  xxxii.,  14. 
Righteousness  and  the  faith  and  hope  that  I  speak  of  has 
produced  and  will  continue  to  produce  a  love — love  to 
parents  and  children,  to  friends  and  fellow-men,  and,  above 
all,  to  God.  But  godliness  has  produced  and  must  ever  pro- 
duce all  those  cold  sentiments  that  are  here  pictured  by  the 
wise  man.  If  you  want  those  to  prevail,  go  and  destroy  the 
trees  of  love  in  your  home  and  in  your  hearts;  but  if  you 
do  not  want  such  fruits,  cherish  the  faith  and  hope  which 
religion  gives  and  keeps  fresh  in  the  soul. 


The  Way  of  Perfection. 
February,  10  1877. 

"I  will  carefully  contemplate  the  way  of  the 
perfect.  O,  when  wilt  thou  come  tmto 
me?  When  I  walk  within  my  house  with 
ft  perfect  heart." 

Psalms  CI.,  2. 

PERFECTION  imparts  from  its  quality  to  him  who  carefully 
contemplates  it.  Whether  it  be  a  living  or  a  lifeless  object, 
an  idea  or  an  action,  that  by  the  beauty  of  its  consistency 


—  139  — 

draws  attention  to  itself,  we  never  regard  it  attentively  with- 
out deriving  instruction  and  pleasure  from  such  contempla- 
tion, and  the  more  we  know  about  the  laws  which  constitute 
the  canon  of  perfection  of  a  certain  subject  the  more  we  are 
enabled  to  enjoy  the  benefit  of  its  contemplation. 

OBJECTS    OF   PERFECTION. 

Art  and  nature  offer  their  full  riches  only  to  those  who 
have  a  knowledge  of  their  laws.  True,  one  can  enjoy  the 
sight  of  a  beautiful  landscape  without  being  a  master  of 
natural  philosophy,  the  sight  of  a  brilliant  picture  or  the 
hearing  of  a  splendid  piece  of  music  without  being  a  pro- 
fessional painter  or  musician.  There  is,  however,  a  great 
difference  between  the  enjoyment  of  the  uninitiated  and  the 
initiated.  The  pleasure  felt  by  the  one  is  an  indefinite 
dream,  of  which  he  cannot  give  a  clear  account  to  himself; 
the  pleasure  of  the  other  is  a  well  defined  fact,  a  clear  con- 
sciousness, a  reality.  It  is  then  evident  that  in  proportion 
as  we  gain  in  knowledge  we  advance  not  only  our  useful 
capacities,  but  we  widen  at  the  same  time  and  intensity  the 
circle  of  pleasures  yielded  by  life.  An  uncultured  man  is 
easily  to  be  known  by  the  low  standard  of  his  amusements, 
while  sound  instruction  refines  the  taste  and  makes  a  man 
seek  after  pleasures  that  bring  gratification  to  his  mind. 

MISSION  Or  THE  PUBLIC  SCHOOLS. 

I  am  glad  to  perceive  that  our  public  schools  do  not 
neglect  their  important  mission  in  this  respect.  Singing, 
music,  drawing,  are  welcome  guests  to  our  young  ones  Let 
the  love  of  art  go  hand  in  hand  with  the  progress  of  science 
and  you  are  sure  to  raise  a  generation  so  healthy  in  mind 
as  to  dispense  entirely  with  your  favorite  preventives. 
Cultivate  and  refine  the  taste  of  the  future  citizen  by  giving 
him  a  liberal  public  education,  and  your  temperance  societies 
and  Sunday  laws  will  be  in  future  as  needless  as  they  are  in 
the  present  useless.  I  do  not  advocate  fantastical  reveries  as 
a  school  system,  but  I  would  say  that  a  Commonwealth  ought 
to  regard  education  as  the  main  condition  of  true  welfare. 
It  is  the  sacred  duty  of  the  community  to  increase  and  not 
to  cut  off  the  opportunities  for  the  young  who  are  desirous 


—  140  — 

to  advance  in  knowledge.  A  Commonwealth  ought  to  be  a 
genuine  mother,  depriving  herself  of  many  a  comfort  and 
sacrificing  liberally  for  the  benefit  of  the  beloved  young  ones 
under  her  charge.  It  is  the  way  of  a  step-mother  to  squander 
sums  for  herself  and  to  be  saving  and  avaricious  when  the 
care  for  her  step-children  lays  claim  on  the  money.  Do  not 
think  of  abolishing  your  college  or  you  sin  against  yourself. 
Enlarge  rather  your  college,  and  in  time  you  will  be  able  to 
make  smaller  your  prisons.  What  you  expend  on  the  one 
you  will  save  on  the  other;  the  more  teachers  you  have  the 
less  jailers  you  will  need.  Knowledge  is  a  better  text  book 
than  Sunday  laws,  and  culture  is  a  safer  guide  to  morality 
than  the  stoutest  of  your  police  officers.  Save  wherever  you 
may;  there  is  yet  ample  room  in  other  branches,  but  do  not 
touch  the  very  root  of  our  prosperity.  Every  dollar  ex- 
pended in  educational  purposes  is  the  blessed  grain  that 
grows  the  richest  harvest  for  the  community;  an  increase  in 
intelligence,  in  honesty,  in  earnest  will  and  moral  strength 
— which  are  the  lif  espring  of  a  healthy  political  and  social  life. 
Religion  shows  us  the  way  which  we  have  carefully  to 
regard.  The  contemplation  of  the  highest  ideal  of  per- 
fection— of  God — imparts  the  highest  instruction  and  the 
purest  delight.  The  better  wre  know  and  observe  the  laws 
which  emanate  from  His  perfection  the  nearer  we  approach 
to  our  own  perfection  and  to  undisturbed  happiness.  Let  it, 
therefore,  be  the  chief  aim  of  our  life  to  ask  carefully, 
"When  wilt  thou  come  unto  me?"  and  to  answer  faithfully, 
"When  I  walk  within  my  house  with  a  perfect  heart." 


Rich,  and  Poor. 

June  9th,  1877. 

"All  the  commandments  which  I  command  thee 
this  day  shall  ye  observe  to  do;  in  order  that 
ye  may  live,  and  multiply,  and  go  in  and 
,ake  possession  of  the  laud  which  the  Lord 
hath  sworn  unto  your  lat'aers,  etc." 

Deuteronomy,  VIII.,  1,  et;. 

THE  eighth  chapter  of  Deuteronomy  is  a  comprehensive 
sermon,  containing  the  most  important  teachings  for  the  in 


—  141  — 

dividual  man  as  well  as  for  society.  True  and  sham  thinkers, 
men  wise  and  otherwise,  with  whom  our  age  is  blessed,  have 
endeavored  to  solve  the  social  question  how  to  bring  poverty 
up  and  riches  down  until  they  might  meet  on  one  level. 
But  as  yet  neither  the  foolish  nor  the  wise  philosophers  can 
boast  of  success;  all  that  the  first  class  effected  was  to  sink 
into  the  poor  man's  heart  the  sharp  sting  of  dissatisfaction, 
and  the  latter  class,  by  their  more  sober  remarks,  succeeded 
in  putting  the  favorite  of  fortune  on  his  guard  to  make  him 
more  watchful  and  more  selfish  in  the  possession  of  his  riches. 
It  if  an  undeniable  fact  that  by  the  exertions  of  our  social- 
ists the  chasm  which  separates  society  in  respect  to  wealth 
has  been  greatly  enlarged  and  by  no  means  healed.  We 
have  to  look,  therefore,  to  other  parts  for  a  more  propitious 
solution  of  the  question. 

THE  TRUE  BALM  OF  GILEAD. 

Morality,  growing  out  of  the  sacred  ground  of  pure 
religion  is  the  only  genuine  balm  that  is  able  to  cure  this 
most  painful  sore  of  humanity.  The  belief  in  an  All-wise 
Providence  is  the  only  key  to  the  correct  answer  to  the  diffi- 
cult question  before  us.  Make  the  poor  man  look  upon 
his  poverty  as  upon  a  visitation  ordained  by  his  Maker  in 
order  to  try  his  courage,  to  strengthen  and  to  purify  his 
heart,  and  to  bring  his  soul  nearer  to  the  living  waters  of 
salvation,  and  he  will  cease  to  murmur  and  revolt  against 
his  humble  station,  and  rather  esteem  and  revere  the  will  of 
his  Heavenly  Father,  that  cannot  but  lead  him  to  true  happi- 
ness. Hence  the  teachings  of  the  Scriptural  chapter  men- 
tioned above,  directed  to  the  poor  and  suffering. 

The  great  principle  of  affliction  is  that  it  is  sent  in 
order  to  prove  thee,  to  know  what  is  in  thy  heart,  whether 
thou  wouldst  keep  his  commandments  or  not. 

Furthermore,  "He  afflicted  thee  and  suffered  thee  to 
hunger  in  order  that  He  might  make  thee  know  that  not  by 
bread  alone  man  doth  live,  but  by  everything  that  pro- 
ceedeth  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  Lord  doth  man  live." 
Finally,  "And  thou  shalt  consider  in  thy  heart  that  as  a 


_H2  — 

man  chasteneth  his  son  so  doth  the  Lord  thy  God  chasten 
thee." 

Arm  the  poor  man  with  these  principles,  inculcate  them 
deeply  in  his  mind,  and  see  whether  he  will  not  successfully 
withstand  the  struggles  of  life.  Open  for  him  the  sources 
of  courage — hope,  trust  and  reliance — and,  far  from  falling 
into  despair,  he  will  regard  himself  as  the  tried  but  never- 
theless dearly  beloved  son  of  his  Heavenly  Father.  Even 
his  affliction  will  become  unto  him  a  pledge  of  God's  mercy. 
On  the  other  hand  the  same  Scriptural  passage  describes 
the  happy  state  of  affluence  and  comfort  in  the  most  brilliant 
colors.  The  danger,  however,  which  follows  riches  like  a 
threatening  shadow, is  not  forgotten:  "Take  heed  unto  thy- 
self that  when  thou  hast  eaten  and  art  satisfied,  and  hast 
built  goodly  houses  and  dwelt  therein,  and  when  thy  herds 
and  thy  flocks  multiply,  and  thy  silver  and  thy  gold  are 
multiplied,  thy  heart  be  then  not  lifted  up,  and  thou  forget 
the  Lord  and  then  say  in  thy  heart:  My  power  and  the 
strength  of  my  hand  have  gotten  me  this  wealth.  But  thou 
shalt  remember  the  Lord  thy  God,  for  it  is  He  that  giveth 
thee  power  to  get  wealth." 

Let  the  man  who  enjoys  the  commodities  of  life  in  abun- 
dance never  forget  that  an  all-seeing  eye  ever  watches  him; 
that  his  wishes  are  a  pledge  trusted  to  him,  and  that  he  has 
to  give  an  account  of  the  use  he  makes  of  them.  Materialism 
will  never  succeed  in  reforming  the  rich  man.  It  material- 
izes, that  is,  it  hardens  him  still  more,  while  religion,  through 
the  idea  of  a  God  who  is  the  source  of  power,  divests  the 
possessor  of  earthly  goods  of  those  two  pernicious  vices, 
pride  and  selfishness,  and  makes  him  meekly  disposed  to 
noble  acts  of  love  and  charity. 

The  conflict  between  the  social  classes  is  flagrant,  you 
say;  and  I  say,  make  the  eighth  chapter  of  Deuteronomy 
the  standard  of  conduct  for  one  and  the  other  class,  and  all 
discrepancies  will  vanish.  "The  rich  and  the  poor  will  meet; 
for  both  have  need  of  the  Lord." 


—  143  — 

Israel's  Past  and  Present. 
June  24,  1877. 

"And  now,  Israel,  whnt  doth  the  Lord  thy 
God  require  of  thee  but  to  fear  the  Lord 
thy  God,  to  walk  in  all  His  ways  and  to 
serve  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy*heart 
and  with  all  thy  soul?  " 

Deuteronomy  X.,12. 

IT  is  not  good,  neither  for  the  individual  man  nor  for  a 
class  of  men  to  dwell  with  self-complacency  on  the  merits, 
accomplishments  .and  distinctions  which  they  have  attained, 
for  such  self-gratified  retrospection  is  in  most  cases  instru- 
mental in  breeding  vanity,  to  stop  further  development,  to 
lessen  all  good  qualities  by  over-estimation.  There  should 
be  a  perpetual  advance  of  man  toward  perfection,  and  if  one 
degree  is  reached  the  preparing  question  for  the  next  de- 
gree ought  to  be,  "And  now,  Israel,  what  doth  the  Lord  thy 
God  require  of  thee?"  Make  use  of  the  present  to  work 
rather  for  future  progress  than  to  speak  of  past  attainments. 
The  golden  rule  of  the  wise  King,  "There  ia  a  time  to  keep 
silent  and  a  time  to  speak",  holds  good  in  this  respect. 
When  unkind  disposition,  unfair  judgment  and  blind  mis- 
apprehension cross  thy  way,  belittle  thy  character  and  mar 
thy  good  reputation ;  when  by  such  dark  work  of  hatred, 
discouragement  and  despondency  threaten  to  invade  thy 
heart,  then  it  is  time  to  ask  thyself,  "What  have  I  been  and 
what  am  I  ?  "  in  order  that  the  satisfactory  answer  may  re- 
vive thy  moral  strength,  the  trust  in  thy  good  cause  and 
the  hope  in  thy  God,  and  then  it  is  time  to  tell  the  world  in 
an  unassuming  and  modest  way,  "  That  I  have  been  and 
that  I  am !  Judge  now  between  me  and  my  offenders! " 

A  GRIEVOUS  OCCT7RENCE 

has  taken  place  within  the  last  few  days,  which,  like  a  fire- 
brand thrown  by  an  atrocious  hand,  was  intented  to  disturb 
the  tranquil  peace  enjoyed  by  the  Israelites  in  this  blessed, 
because  free,  country — an  assault  upon  the  Jewish  name 
has  been  perpetrated  which  is  the  more  to  be  regretted  in- 
asmuch as  it  originated  with  a  man  whose  connection  with 
the  name  and  the  millions  of  a  deceased  nabob  gave  him  a 


—  144  — 

certain  prominence  in  social  standing.  Is  this  narrow- 
minded  act  of  prejudiced  exclusion  that  has  been  inflicted 
upon  us  humiliating  to  the  Jews  ?  Must  we  regard  it  as  a 
sign  of  the  time  and  be  discouraged  and  made  despondent 
by  it?  Thank  God  there  are  open  to  us  two  never-failing 
resources — self-consciousness  and  the  appeal  to  the  judg- 
ment of  our  unprejudiced  fellow  citizens.  We  have  no 
reason  to  shun  the  closest  investigation  of  the  character  of 
our  race  from  its  origin  to  the  present  day. 

THE  ISRAELITE  OF  THE  BIBLE. 

What  is  the  Israelite  of  the  Bible  ?  The  disciple  of  the 
Most  High,  the  faithful  votary  of  that  sublime  idea  which 
forever  constitutes  the  true  basis  of  all  civilization.  To 
acknowledge  Him  who  is  the  fountain-head  of  all  perfection, 
to  serve  Him  with  heart  and  soul,  that  was  the  vocation  laid 
upon  His  nation  in  the  very  first  hour  of  its  birth.  True, 
the  Scriptures  contain  many  a  reproachful  page  against  the 
obstinacy  of  the  race,  but  the  fact  that  the  very  records 
which  chronicle  their  shortcomings  were  always  revered 
and  kept  holy  by  the  nation  shows  that  our  people  never 
were  blind  against  their  own  errors;  that  they  rather  strove 
to  overcome  them,  and  they  loved  and  respected  the  chosen 
men  who  led  them  to  correction. 

THE  ISRAELITE  OF  LATER  HISTORY. 

What  was  the  Israeli te  of  later  history '?  He  was  the  poor 
wanderer,  ever  persecuted,  but  never  degraded,  mostly 
hated  but  always  ready  to  love  and  to  repay  with  hearty 
gratitude  even  the  slightest  token  of  sympathy.  Long 
centuries  of  suffering  did  not  debase  his  character,  nor 
cloud  his  intellect,  nor  mar  the  genial  disposition  of  his 
heart.  In  spite  of  the  towering  difficulties  he  held  a  re- 
spectable rank  in  science,  won  and  justified  the  trust  of 
potentates  in  their  most  important  affairs,  and  preserved 
the  happiness  of  a  pure  and  peaceful  domestic  life,  even 
when  driven  as  a  beggar  from  his  comfortable  home. 

THE  ISRAELITE  OF  THE  PRESENT  DAY. 

Such  was  the  race  in  its  darkest  time  and  when  the  light 
of  tolerance  and  humanity  rose  it  found  them  fully  prepared 


—  145  — 

for  emancipation.  And,  finally,  what  is  the  Israelite  of  the 
present  day  ?  With  the  exception  of  the  two  representatives 
of  behind  time  principles — Kussia  and  Roumania — all 
civilized  States  have  enacted  in  their  law — the  Israelite  is  a 
man,  entitled  to  the  rights  of  a  man.  The  civic  position  of 
the  race  is  respectable,  and,  without  boast,  we  may  safely 
state  not  undeservedly  so.  In  science  and  art,  in  political 
and  social  life,  in  industry  and  commerce,  in  all  branches  of 
human  activity,  we  have  our  representative  men,  who  com- 
mand the  respect  and  undivided  acknowledgment  of  their 
fellow  citizens.  As  a  class  we  are  law  abiding,  deeply 
imbued  with  the  desire  to  advance  the  interests  of  the 
country  we  live  in  and  to  win  the  brotherly  affection  of 
those  with  whom  we  share  the  rights  and  duties  in  the 
Commonwealth.  Our  charitable  disposition  is  undisputed, 
and  even  the  high  standard  of  our  morality,  even  in  the 

lower  ranks,  is  warranted  by  the  criminal  statistics. 

i 

THE  MALEVOLENT  ATTACK  OF  JTjVGE  HILTON. 

This  is  our  record  in  the  past  and  present,  thus  we  stand 
before  the  world,  and  thus  we  face  the  rude  offence  com- 
mitted on  the  Jewish  name  by  sadly  perverted  malevolence. 
Our  self-respect  is  not  shaken.  To  pronounce  judgment, 
however,  over  the  poor  benighted  man  and  his  mediaeval, 
"No  admittance  for  the  Jew,"  that  we  leave  to  the  spirit  of 
enlightenment  and  freedom,  which  cannot  but  condemn 
such  eruptions  of  narrow-minded  hatred 

THE  LESSON  IT  TEACHES. 

For  us,  however,  in  conclusion,  such  events  may  oe  a  lesson 
to  watch  eagerly  over  the  honor  of  the  Jewish  name;  to 
keep  it  unblemished,  to  do  what  the  Lord  requires  of  us, 
to  walk  in  His  ways  and  to  serve  Him  with  all  our  heart  and 
with  all  our  souL  Let  us  be  good  Israelites  and  good 
citizens,  and  the  missiles  of  hatred  will  fall  harmless  to  the 
ground.  The  Hiltons  will  die  away;  the  great  principles  of 
Israel,  however,  and  the  free  spirit  of  the  American  consti- 
tution will  live  forever  under  the  protection  of  the  Lord." 


--146  — 

Beligion,  the  Teacher  of  the  great  Art, 
How  to  Rejoice. 

June  30,  1877. 

'•And  ye  shall  rejoice  before  the  Lord,  your  Clod, 
ye  and  your  sons  and  your  daughters,  aad 
your  manservants  and  your  maidservants,  and 
the  Levite  that  is  within  your  gates,  because 
he  had  not  any  portion  or  inheritance  with 
you." 

Deuteronomy,  XII,  12. 

THIS  passage  appears  closely  connected  with  the  ancient 
temple  worship  at  Jerusalem,  but  still  its  significance  did 
not  cease  with  the  destruction  of  that  sacred  place  nor  with 
the  abolition  of  the  priestly  service.  Independent  of  the 
change  which  time,  by  the  will  of  Providence,  has  produced 
in  the  outward  form  of  our  service,  this  Scriptural  clause 
serves  as  the  faithful  interpreter  of  the  true  nature  of  our 
religion. 

RELIGION   NOT   HOSTILE  TO  JOY. 

There  are  many  who  look  upon  religion  as  hostile  to  joy — < 
a  sort  of  Niobe,  always  weeping,  always  wailing,  never  smil- 
ing and  never  disposed  to  rejoice.  This  is  an  enormous 
mistake.  Gladness  is  the  chief  aim  of  religion,  to  spread  it 
where  it  is  missing,  to  purify  it  where  it  is  to  be  found,  is  the 
task  of  the  heavenly  messenger,  Faith.  True  religion  knocks 
most  eagerly  at  humble  doors  :  but  will  not  the  noble 
hearted  rich  man  apply  the  abundance  of  his  wealth  to  al- 
leviate the  need  of  those  who  are  in  want,  in  the  first  place 
and  then  think  of  it  to  entertain  those  at  his  richly  set  table 
who  have  a  spread  table  of  their  own  ?  Such  is  the  way  of 
religion.  With  her  treasures  she  enters  first  of  all  the  humble 
habitation  of  those  who  stand  most  in  need  of  her.  "Where 
the  strength  of  poverty  exhausts  itself  ;  where  shattered 
hopes  cause  hearts  to  ache  and  severe  losses  smart  mourning 
souls,  there  she  offers  lovingly  her  healing  balm  and  carries 
mercifully  her  glad  tidings  of  a  living  Redeemer.  Happy 
the  poor  sufferer  that  needs  her  sweet  voice!  Like  the 
cypress  at  the  side  of  a  grave,  the  evergreen  tree  of  never 


—  147  — 

failing  hope  in  God  grows  up  even  from  the  most  sterile 
ground  of  his  hopelessness. 

RELIGION  NOT  ONLY  TO  BE  SOUGHT  IN  MISFORTUNE. 

On  account  of  this  her  mission,  however,  to  administer  con- 
solation to  the  afflicted  we  must  not  regard  religion  as  the 
safety  boat  which  is  to  be  resorted  to  only  when  the  vessel 
of  our  hopes  gets  wrecked  upon  some  reef  of  misfortune  and 
lies  neglected  and  forgotten  as  long  as  our  sails  are  proudly 
swelled  by  propitious  winds.  It  ought  not  to  be  so.  Just  as 
necessary  as  religion  is  for  the  afflicted  to  mitigate  his  woes, 
just  so  indispensable  is  she  for  the  prosperous  as  the  solid 
basis  of  all,  true  prosperity.  Religion  as  the  guide  to  hap- 
piness cannot  be  adverse  to  man's  joy.  Man,  however, 
in  his  joys  is  very  often  adverse  to  his  own  happiness.  De- 
ceived by  glittering  appearances  we  hunt  after  the  deluding 
ignis  f  atuus  of  momentary  pleasure,  and  but  too  late  we  per- 
ceive that  bitterness  is  in  the  end.  To  prevent  such  fatal 
errors  and  to  guard  us  against  the  delusions  of  our  own 
mind  religion  enlightens  our  soul  and  prepares  our  hearts 
for  the  fruition  of  joys  which  are  pure  in  their  origin,  lasting 
in  the  satisfaction  they  give  and  conductive  to  our  happi- 
ness even  in  the  life  to  come. 

JOYS  TO  BE  FOUNDED  ON  INNOCENCE    AND  PURITY. 

Analyze  the  Scriptural  sentence  quoted  above,  and  you  will 
find  the  exact  enumeration  of  all  the  elements  which  are  neces- 
sary to  such  joys,  as  make  us  happy  in  our  own  hearts  and 
beloved  in  the  eyes  of  the  Lord.  Our  sentence  begins : 
"And  ye  shall  rejoice  before  the  Lord  your  God."  This  ex- 
presses unequivocally  that  our  joys  must  be  founded  on  in- 
nocence and  purity.  A  pleasure  that  has  cause  to  shun  the 
all  seeing  eye  of  the  Lord  is  an  enemy  in  disguise  of  a  friend. 
Behind  the  smooth  luring  surface  looks  destruction  of  the 
soul's  peace  and  welfare. 

WHO  SHALL  REJOICE  ? 

Next  comes  the  answer  to  the  question,  who  shall  rejoice? 
"Ye  and  your  sons  and  your  daughters,"  the  emphatic  repe- 
tition of  the  short  pronoun  "Ye"  is  fraught  with  an  impor- 
tant lesson.  It  makes  us  aware  that  the  source  of  our  joy 


—  148  — 

shall  rather  be  over  a  contented  heart  than  the  abundance 
of  outward  means.  The  one  who  waits  with  his  rejoicing  until 
he  will  have  accumulated  sufficiently  will  never  rejoice,  for 
he  never  will  have  enough.  The  one,  however,  who  lives  in 
God  more  than  his  riches  will  make  it  a  motto  of  his  life, 
"My  heart  shall  rejoice  in  the  Lord."  Divine  wisdom  adds, 
"And  your  sons  and  your  daughters,"  showing  us  thereby  on 
what  ground  the  heart  has  to  reap  its  most  precious  harvest 
of  pleasures  — it  is  in  the  bosom  of  the  family. 

JOY  TO  BE  SHARED  WITH  OTHERS. 

A  man  may  command  all  the  treasur  es  of  both  Indies  ;  he 
may  drink  the  cup  of  social  pleasures  to  the  very  dregs — if 
he  cannot  find  the  culmination  of  joy  in  the  sacred  precinct 
of  his  domestic  circle  I  pity  him  with  all  his  treasures  and 
pleasures.  Yes,  and  "Tour  sons  and  daughters!"  The  joy 
to  possess  well  educated  respectable  children  cannot  be  out- 
balanced by  any  other  joy  in  this  world.  Our  sentence  is 
completed  by  the  addition,  "and  your  manservant  and  your 
maidservant,  and  the  Levite  that  is  within  your  gates,  be- 
cause he  has  not  any  portion  or  inheritance  with  you."  We 
cannot  mistake  what  the  Scripture  aims  at  by  adding  these 
persons  to  the  group  of  the  happy  family.  There  is  em- 
bodied the  admonition,  "  Be  not  selfish,  be  not  exclusive  in 
thy  joys."  Share  them  willingly  and  gladly  with  those  that 
are  not  as  blessed  as  thou  art  Selfishness  and  exclusive- 
ness  mar  the  heart's  best  joy,  while  kindness  and  benevol- 
ence in  themselves  are  a  rich  source  of  gladness  and  happi- 
ness. 

Scriptural  Warnings. 
July  7,  1877. 

"After  the  Lord,  your  God,  shall  ye  walk,  and 
Him  shall  ye  fear,  and  His  commandments 
shall  ye  keep,  and  His  voice  phall  ye  obey, 
and  Him  alone  shall  ye  serve,  and  unto  Him 
shall  ye  cleave." 

Deuteronomy  XIII,  5. 

THIS  verse  and  the  whole  of  the  thirteenth  chapter  of 
Deuteronomy  deserves  our  especial  notice,  inasmuch  as  it 


—  149  — 

contains  specifications  of  those  points  which  become  dan- 
gerous to  man's  religious  feeling  and  practice  ;  and  it 
teaches  us  at  the  same  time  how  to  avoid  these  dangers, 
how  to  remain  steadfast  in  our  convictions,  it  shows  a  keen 
foresight  on  the  part  of  the  Bible  that  it  singles  out  first 
those  points  which  have  remained  stumbling  blocks  to  belief 
in  our  days  and  are  nowadays  perhaps  more  so  than  ever 
before.  It  is  therefore  by  no  means  superfluous  if  we  enter 
upon  a  closer  investigation  of  the  chapter  of  Deuteronomy 
mentioned  in  the  text. 

MAX'S  BELIEF   IN   AUTHORITY. 

To  shake  the  belief  in  authority  is  the  tendency  of  our  time. 
But  just  as  man  becomes  most  enslaved,  whenhe  urges  free- 
dom to  the  excess  of  licentiousness,  so  man  falls  most  as- 
suredly in  the  snares  of  the  darkest  prejudices  when  his  spirit 
revolts  against  the  consideration  due  to  well  founded  au- 
thority .  Man  must  believe  in  something,  the  craving  after 
an  ideal  lies  in  his  nature.  If  he  does  not  believe  in  the  true 
God,  he  makes  for  himself  an  idol,  extols  it  to  the  rank  of  a 
God  and  worships  it  Our  time  has  made  havoc  of  the  old, 
childlike  religious  feeling,  the  simple  faith  of  bygone  days 
has  become  a  half  forgotten  legend  of  the  past  We  are  a 
reasoning  generation  of  critics.  The  Bible  we  make  a  sort 
of  target  ever  to  aim  our  doubting  questions  at  and  never 
to  derive  our  answers  from.  "Divine  authority"  for  us  is 
an  antiquated  phrase  designated  as  obsolete  in  the  doctrine  of 
modern  scepticism.  We  replace  it  by  the  proud  term  "hu- 
man science." 

HUMAN  SCIENCE  AS  COMPARED  WITH  DIVINE  POWER. 

Now  human  science  is  a  very  good  thing.  It  shares  many  quali- 
ties with  the  sun — it  spreads  light,  it  embellishes  life,  it  is 
conductive  to  every  kind  of  useful  production,  but  it  has  as 
little  divine  power  as  the  sun  has.  What  then  is  the  differ- 
ence between  the  sun  worshippers  of  old  and  your  modern 
idolizers  of  human  science?  Enjoy  the  benefits  of  the  sun, 
and  praise  Him  who  made  it ;  enjoy  the  fruits  of  science 
and  adore  Him  who  bestowed  on  you  human  intellect. 
Science, 'plunging  in  depths  of  nature,  is  like  the  true 


—  150  — 

prophet  appointed  by  the  Lord  to  guide  his  people.  Science 
denying  its  own  focus,  God,  is  what  our  chapter  calls  the 
false  prophet,  the  dreamer.  Even  if  the  sign  or  the  token 
that  he  giveth  comes  to  pass,  as  soon  as  he  says,  "  Let  us  go 
after  other  gods,  and  let  us  serve  them,"  then  shalt  thou  not 
hearken  unto  the  words  of  that  prophet  or  unto  that 
dreamer  of  dreams.  "After  the  Lord,  your  Grod,  shall  ye 
walk."  This  must  be  the  final  conclusion  of  every  human 
science,  or  else  it  is  false  and  deceiving. 

DAGGERS  MENACING — FAITH  THROUGH  FALSE  FRIENDS. 

There  is  another  weak  point  in  our  modern  believers.  In 
olden  times  a  man  regarded  his  faith  as  his  most  precious 
good,  which  he  had  to  guard  above  all  other  possessions. 
"We,  however  watchful  as  we  are  concerning  our  worldly 
portion,  still  prove  very  heedless  and  neglectful  in  the  guar- 
dianship of  our  heavenly  part.  Like  a  fortress  whose  gar- 
rison sleeps  while  the  enemy  is  in  siege  before  it,  so  is  our 
heart  easy  to  be  overcome,  upon  the  first  assault  it  surren- 
ders itself  incontinently.  Formerly  religion  dictated  our 
connections ;  now  our  connections  dictate  our  religion.  You 
are  inclined  to  abide  by  your  inherited  troth.  You  feel  reli- 
giously disposed.  .You  would  like  to  build  up  your  house- 
hold on  the  foundation  of  a  hearty  religious  practice.  Pub- 
lic worship  and  domestic  devotion  seem  to  you  conducive 
to  sound  morality.  You  intend  to  introduce  them  into  your 
family.  You  intend  many  singular  things,  but  there  is  a 
brother,  a  second  cousin  or  friend  of  the  house  who  is  an  ad- 
ept in  modern  wisdom,  he  smiles  at  your  intentions  ;  he 
shrugs  his  haughty  shoulders  at  your  practices,  he  pities 
supremely  your  sons  and  daughters  misguided  by  your  pre- 
judices. You  see  that  you  lose  confidence  in  your  own 
principles;  you  lose  the  courage  to  uphold  them,  you 
waver.  The  young  folks  go  after  the  modern  second  cousin, 
you  go  after  the  young  folks  and  in  this  way  many  a  house- 
hold which  was  intended  to  become  an  ornament  to  religion 
is  turned  into  an  abode  of  disbelief  and  frivolity,  through 
lack  of  moral  strength  and  perseverance.  Mark  what  our 
chapter  says  in  this  respect ; — "If  thy  brother,  the  son  of 


—  151  — 

thy  mother,  or  thy  son,  or  thy  daughter,  or  the  wife  of  thy 
bosom  or  thy  friend,  who  is  dear  to  thee  as  thy  own  soul, 
should  entice  thee  in  secret  saying,  "Let  us  go  and 
serve  other  gods,"  than  shalt  thou  not  consent  unto  him  nor 
shalt  thou  hearken  unto  him."  If  your  friend  does  not  go 
with  you,  go  without  him;  but  after  the  Lord,  your  God,  you 
shall  walk,  after  Him  firmly  after  Him  only. 

FALSE  THEORIES  OF    MAJORITIES. 

Of  the  same  drift  is  the  third  point  in  our  chapter.  It  aims 
to  break  down  a  third  enemy  that  stands  in  our  way  when 
we  intend  to  walk  after  the  Lord.  In  many  respects  it  is 
true  that  vox  populi  is  vox  Dei,  and  in  many  cases  it  is  not 
true.  "  The  majority  rules  "  is  a  political  maxim  which,  how- 
ever, does  not  hold  good  in  points  of  morality.  "Why 
should  I  not  be  as  the  majority  is?"  This  question  has 
turned  many  a  well  disposed  man  into  a  despiser  of  the 
most  sacred  thing,  religion.  You  happen  to  reside  in  a 
block  where  the  majority  goes  a  different  way  when  it  is  time 
to  walk  after  the  Lord.  Your  practical  wisdom  argues  with 
your  religious  sense,  Why  not  do  as  the  rest  do  ?  This  ar- 
gument is  conclusive  in  our  time  and  with  most  of  our  gen- 
eration. Truth,  however,  remains  truth,  even  if  the  large 
majority  is  against  it,  even  if  it  stands  alone  and  a  whole 
world  cannot  turn  wrong  into  right.  This  is  the  principle 
inculcated  by  the  last  item  of  our  chapter: — "If  thou 
shouldst  hear  concerning  one  of  thy  cities,  there  have  gone 
forth  men,  children  of  worthlessness  from  the  midst  of  thee 
and  have  misled  thee,  the  inhabitants  of  their  city,  saying, 
"  Let  us  serve  other  gods,"  which  ye  have  not  known,  then  shalt 
thou  inquire  and  make  search  and  ask  diligently."  Do  not 
excuse  yourself  with  sharing  the  way  with  the  many;  inquire, 
make  search,  ask  diligently  and  if  you  find  out  that  the  drift 
of  the  majority's  way  is  "Let  us  serve  other  gods,"  then  be 
rather  deserted,  solitary  and  unassociated,  but  walk  after  the 
Lord,  your  God,  unceasingly,  steadfastly  until  the  happy 
end. 


—  152  — 

Mission  of  the  Jew. 
July  14th,  1877. 


"Zion  shall  be  redeemed  through  justice, 
and  her  converts  through  righteous- 
ness" 

Isaiah,  I.,  27. 


THE  ninth  day  of  the  month  of  Ab,  which  occurs  on  next 
Thursday, is  the  melaina  hemera,  "The  Black  Day,"  in  Jewish 
history,  while  the  verse  of  our  text  is  the  most  brilliant  star 
in  the  galaxy  of  divine  promises.  The  day  commemorates 
the  melancholy  events  of  the  destruction  of  the  first  and 
second  temples  at  Jerusalem.  The  text  quoted,  however, 
expresses  the  glad  tidings  of  a  final  restoration  of  all  the 
lost  glories.  Time  is  the  best  teacher  of  history,  and  the 
most  competent  expounder  of  the  prophetic  predictions. 
After  1900  years  experience  we  are  better  enabled  to  judge 
about  the  intention  of  Providence  in  permitting  the  collapse 
of  the  Jewish  State  and  national  sanctuary,  than  the  genera- 
tions who  witnessed  the  fact  and  who  lived  immediately 
after  it.  "We  see  how  God  links  the  events  until  they 
reach  the  intended  end. 

THE  JEWS  AS  A  BLESSING  TO  MAMEDTO. 

The  Alpha  and  Omega  of  Jewish  religion  and  history  are 
that  the  descendents  of  Abraham  are  destined  to  live  for  the 
blessing  of  mankind.  The  idea  of  Israel's  mission  renders  the 
revelation  on  Mount  Sinai  the  greatest  fact  in  human  his- 
tory, and  elevates  the  narrative  of  the  vicissitudes  of  our 
people  far  above  the  level  of  a  mere  national  history.  The 
consciousness  of  this  mission  has  ever  lived  in  our  nation, 
but  in  different  periods  it  shaped  itself  differently.  During 
the  existence  of  the  Jewish  State  this  consciousness  mani- 
fested itself  in  the  hope  that  Hebrew  Commonwealth  would 
at  a  certain  future  become  the  focus  of  gregarious  life,  both 
political  and  religious,  for  mankind.  The  prophetic  vision 
made  all  the  nations  flock  together  toward  Zion.  There  the 
perfection  of  humanity  was  to  reach  its  culmination.  There 
the  sword  would  be  replaced  by  the  scythe,  the  spear  by  the 


—  153  — 

sickle,  and  the  curse  of  war  by  the  blessing  of  universal 
peace;  and,  like  a  mother  in  the  midst  of  her  children, 
Judea  would  be  loved  and  honored  as  the  maternal  ruler 
over  all. 

THE  IDEAL  KINGDOM  OF  GOD  AND  THE  MESSIAH  KING. 

By  such  visions  the  State  became  idealized  into  the  king- 
dom of  God,  and  over  the  ideal  State  was  set  an  ideal  king, 
the  Messiah.  Frequent  and  heavy  misfortunes  swept  over 
the  head  of  the  nation;  but  no  night  was  dark  enough  to 
obscure  the  lustre  of  the  two  leading  stars.  The  advent  of 
the  kingdom  of  God,  the  coming  of  the  Messiah,  remained 
the  supreme  hope  of  the  people  when  all  other  hope  van- 
ished. Even  in  that  gloomy  moment,  when  the  crown  was 
torn  from  Judea's  brow,  when  the  Roman  buried  the  State 
and  burned  the  sanctuary,  he  could  destroy  only  what  was 
visible,  what  was  material.  The  old  hope,  however,  rose  like 
a  phoenix  from  the  ashes,  the  ideal  State  did  not  go  to  ruin, 
and  the  Messiah  king  was  more  ardently  expected  than  ever 
before. 

PROGRESS  OF  REGENERATION. 

The  centuries  after  the  destruction  witnessed  a  sad  spec- 
tacle. They  saw  this  people  as  the  weary  and  exhausted 
wayfarer  whose  description  is  so  touchingly  given  by  the 
eminent  English  bard : — 

Tribes  of  the  wandering  foot  and  weary  breast, 
How  shall  ye  flee  away  and  be  at  rest  ? 
The  wild  dove  has  her  nest,  the  fox  his  cave, 
Mankind  their  country — Israel  but  the  grave ! 

The  seeming  struggle  of  death,  however,  was  in  reality  a 
process  of  regeneration.  Just  as  we  see  in  nature,  when  the 
icy  clutches  of  winter  melt  away  by  the  mild  breath  of  God's 
love  and  life-spending  spring  spreads  over  the  resurrecting 
earth,  so  the  ice  of  the  frozen  hearts  and  stifled  minds 
melted  away  before  the  warm  rays  which  shone  forth  from 
the  sxin  of  God's  Word.  In  the  same  measure,  as  the  world 
became  more  imbued  with  the  spirit  of  Sinai's  truth  the 


—  154  — 

mists  of  prejudices  sank,  the  winter  passed  away,  and  a 
more  genial  season  began  its  reign  in  the  life  of  mankind. 
The  weary  wanderer,  Israel,  did  not  die  in  the  meantime. 
Through  his  agency  a  new  and  a  higher  element,  the  spirit 
of  pure  religion,  came  into  the  life  of  the  human  race,  and 
the  more  this  element  grows  the  more  true  civilization 
spreads,  the  better  is  the  welfare  of  mankind  established, 
and  the  surer  is  a  respectable  position  among  the  nations  of 
Israel  granted. 

THE  HOME  AND  MISSION  OF  THE  ISRAELITE. 

In  the  course  of  time  we  have  learned  the  great  lesson 
that  our  life  is  not  depending  upon  a  certain  spot  on  the 
earth,  be  it  called  Palestine  or  otherwise.  As  the  waters 
cover  the  ground  of  the  sea,  so  truth  shall  cover  the  surface 
of  the  whole  earth,  and  wherever  a  human  soul  lives  that 
needs  the  living  waters  of  salvation  there  is  our  home,  for 
there  our  work  is  to  be  done.  A  history  of  eighteen  cen- 
turies has  taught  us  that  it  is  not  the  destiny  of  Israel  to 
wait  quietly  in  their  country  until  mankind  will  wander  to 
Palestine  and  nations  will  crowd  to  Jerusalem  to  ascend  the 
holy  mount,  to  enter  with  praise  the  house  of  God.  Israel 
had  to  leave  its  home,  to  carry  along  its  intrusted  treasure 
and  to  bring  the  light  of  God's  Word  to  the  homes  of  those 
who  walked  in  darkness.  Slowly  but  surely  is  Israel  accom- 
plishing its  mission.  The  consciousness  of  this  mission  lives 
in  us  as  in  our  ancestors,  but  in  a  different  form.  It  is  no 
more  the  ideal  State  and  the  ideal  king  that  makes  us  long 
for  the  soil  of  Palestine  and  for  a  state  of  things  as  it 
existed  2000  years  ago.  Our  mission  prompts  us  to  pay  our 
obligations  to  the  present.  The  heroes  of  our  past  are  and 
will  remain  endeared  to  us.  "We  look  upon  "  the  ninth  of 
Ab  "  as  upon  a  day  which  must  fill  each  Jewish  heart  with 
melancholy  feelings  on  account  of  the  many  sufferings  by 
which  it  was  followed  for  our  father's;  but  at  the  same  time 
this  day  and  its  events  are  the  clear  manifestation  of  the 
Lord,  that  there  shall  come  a  time  when  all  the  earth  shall 
be  one  consecrated  Zion.  The  ideal  State  is  the  brotherly 
union  among  mankind,  and  the  ideal  king  is  the  universal 


—  155  — 

acknowledgment  of  the  Only  One  and  His  eternal  law. 
When  this  time  shall  have  come,  then  shall  be  built  the 
spiritual  Jerusalem,  the  lost  glories  shall  be  restored  ten- 
fold, and  the  prophecy  of  Isaiah  shall  be  fulfilled: — "Zion 
shall  be  redeemed  through  justice,  and  her  converts  through 
righteousness." 

« 
The  Sabbath  of  Consolation. 

July   21,   1877. 

"Comfort  ye,  comfort  ~e,  my  peopl :,  saith 

your  God." 

Isaiah,  XL,  1. 

THE  mournful  day  that  commemorates  the  deplorable  ca- 
lamities which  befell  the  Hebrew  Commonwealth  was  cele- 
brated by  different  congregations  in  a  different  manner. 
The  superficial  observer  who  from  his  discrepancy  ia  prac- 
tice should  feel  inclined  to  draw  the  conclusion  that  schism 
exists  among  the  Jews  of  the  present  is  greatly  mistaken. 
True,  the  orthodox  turn  their  faces  toward  the  East.  Their 
souls  revel  in  the  glories  of  the  past  and  cling  with  tenacity 
to  the  checkered  chapters  of  the  history  of  bygone  days 
while  the  so-called  reformed  Jew  faces  the  present  and  follows 
the  course  of  events  down  to  his  own  time.  He  is  less  sen- 
timeutal  in  regard  to  old  relics  and  more  practical  in  respect 
to  investing  advantagiously  the  sum  of  spiritual  truth  which 
the  past  had  bequeathed  to  the  present  generation.  Not- 
withstanding this  difference,  however,  in  the  ways  and 
means,  both  parties  are  indissolubly  one  in  their  views  and 
the  main  principles  of  religion.  The  Deity  as  taught  by  the 
Bible  is  acknowledged  by  both  with  the  same  reverence.  The 
moral  law  which  in  its  utmost  purity  as  crystallized  in  the 
sacred  writings  is  regarded  as  binding  by  both,  and  both 
concur  in  the  great  hope  that  all  abominations  will  be  re- 
moved and  the  kingdom  of  God  will  be  established  on  earth; 
that  the  day  will  come  when  mankind  will  outgrow  their 
puerile  superstitions  and  will  unite  in  true  acknowledgment 
and  pure  adoration  of  the  Only  One. 


156 


ISRAEL  S    "  BLACK  NIGHT      FOLLOWED  BY  A  SABBATH  OF  COMFORT. 

This  statement  of  Israel's  integrity  as  a  denomination  is  ne- 
cessary to  understand  and  to  appreciate  the  words  of  our  text— 
"Comfort  ye,  comfort  ye,  my  people,  saith  your  God."  Re- 
ligion is  tlie  interpreter  of  human  life.  After  the  tempest 
follows  a  quiet  sunshine  and  a  purified  atmosphere.  After 
deep  sorrow  the  patiently  resigned  heart  becomes  refreshed 
by  the  tranquil  consolations  of  a  pure  and  filial  belief  in 
our  Heavenly  Father.  This  idea  is  strikingly  expressed  by 
the  fact  that  the  mournful  "  Ninth  of  Ab"  is  followed  by  the 
"  Sabbath  of  Comfort  and  Consolation."  Thereby  the  shin- 
ing star  is  singled  out  for  us  after  which  we  shall  direct  the 
course  of  our  vessel  when  our  national  or  individual  life 
changes  into  a  sea  of  trouble  and  danger.  Consolation  is 
an  ascent  from,  the  deep  of  sorrow  to  the  height  of  comfort, 
derived  from  the  consciousness  of  our  connection  with 
Him  who  is  the  source  of  all  happiness  and  therefore  the 
heart  requires  a  certain  preparation  in  order  to  receive  true 
consolation.  If  the  garden  of  your  joys  has  become  a  wild- 
erness and  the  field  of  your  hopes  a  desert,  then  as  the  prophet 
has  it,  "In  the  wilderness  make  ye  clear  the  way  of  the 
Lord,  make  straight  in  the  desert  a  highway  for  our  God." 
Try  to  meet  Him,  and  you  will  find  Him,  with  his  blessed 
gifts  that  soothe  all  pains  and  cure  all  sores." 

HOW  TO  ENJOY  CONSOLATION   AND  COMFORT. 

In  order  to  enjoy  the  consolation  and  comfort  professed  by 
the  mercy  of  God's  word,  we  must  have  unity,  harmony, 
brotherly  love  throughout  the  congregations  of  Israel.  The 
advanced  should  not  look  down  with  pride  on  him  who  is 
lower  on  the  scale  of  progress,  but  should  try  to  raise  him 
until  he  reaches  the  same  level.  There  is  no  true  prosper- 
ity to  be  hoped  for  in  our  religious  affairs  unless  the  bene- 
fit of  true  culture  is  diffused  among  all  classes.  We  should, 
therefore,  bear  diligently  the  light  of  knowledge  to  those 
quarters  where  it  is  most  needed.  Our  efforts  should  be 
directed  to  educate  those  of  our  brethren  who  through  the 
unfortunate  conditions  prevailing  in  the  countries  from 
which  they  hail,  have  not  had  in  their  early  age,  the  oppor- 


—  157  — 

tunity  of  a  sound  popular  training.  A  solidly  linked  organ- 
ization of  our  Hebrew  communities  for  the  purpose  of  fost- 
ering and  furthering  the  pure  spirit  of  our  religion  is  a  re- 
quirement to  satisfy  which  we  should  not  delay  one  moment, 
for  on  it,  to  a  great  extent  depends  our  immediate  success 
as  a  denomination. 

TRAIN  THE  MIND    TO    MEEKNESS.. 

In  speaking  about  the  healing  power  of  religious  consola- 
tion for  individuals,  let  me  urge  you  not  to  wait  with  preparing 
your  hearts  until  sorrows,  like  an  invading  army  break  in 
upon  them  :  but  the  proper  way  is  even  in  the  hour  of  bright- 
est prosperity  to  train  the  mind  to  meekness  and  submission 
to  the  will  of  God.  Wantonness  in  the  sunny  days  is  suc- 
ceeded by  despair  at  the  time  when  the  storm  is  let  loose 
while  the  meek  and  resigned,  even  in  the  most  towering  mis- 
fortunes, hears  the  soothing  divine  voice,  "Comfort  ye,  com- 
ye,  my  people,  saith  the  Lord." 


Keep  Thy  Heart. 

August  4,  1877. 

"Above  all  that  is  to  be  guarded,  keep  thy 
heart;  for  out  of  it  are  the  issues  of 
life." 

Proverbs,  IV.,  22. 

THE  month  of  Elul,  which  is  to  begin  on  next  Friday,  is 
devoted  by  the  synagogue  to  preparation  for  the  ensuing 
holy  season,  and  accordingly  our  remarks  must  be  in  this 
direction.  Life  teaches  us  the  great  lesson,  how  important 
it  is  for  us  not  to  be  taken  by  surprise,  but  to  be  always  on 
the  alert.  Our  success — nay,  our  safety — depends  to  a 
great  extent  upon  our  watchfulness.  A  thoughtful  foresight 
enables  us  to  avoid  the  bad  consequences  of  many  a  threat- 
ening emergency,  and  causes  us  to  earn  the  full  harvest 
offered  by  our  favorable  opportunities,  while  the  negligence 
of  the  unmindful  hastens  the  step  of  the  approaching  evil 
and  makes  him  often  lose  his  best  chances.  This  is  a  wise 
rule,  which  we  appreciate  in  our  worldly  affairs,  but  we  are 


—  158  — 

far  less  careful  iii  applying  it  conscientiously  to  our  spiritual 
welfare.  The  cause  of  this  neglect  is  an  erroneous  concep- 
tion, which,  in  most  cases,  becomes  fatal  to  our  happiness. 
Our  wishes  and  hopes,  our  aims  and  endeavors,  all  centre  in 
the  one  point — to  acquire  for  ourselves  as  great  an  amount 
of  well  being  as  possible.  This  desire  is  natural  to  man,  and 
if  he  follows  it  in  a  proper  direction  it  leads  him  to  the  right 
goal.  Many,  however,  deviate  and  are  sorely  led  astray. 
They  look  at  outward  things,  not  as  upon  the  means  to 
reach  happiness,  but  as  happiness  itself.  In  the  greedy  pur- 
suit to  grasp  as  much  as  they  can  of  the  good  things  of  this 
world  they  spoil  their  hearts,  and  they  forget  altogether  to 
remember  that  to  the  enjoyment  of  happiness  a  pure  heart 
is  the  first  requirement.  "What  would  you  say  o  f  a  man  who 
in  order  to  better  quench  his  thirst,  should  go  and  stop  lip 
the  source  from  which  the  silver  streamlet  issues  ?  "SVhat 
would  you  say  of  him  who,  in  order  to  better  enjoy  the  fruits 
of  his  tree,  should  cut  off  the  channels  of  life,  the  nourish- 
ing roots  ? 

A  PUKE  HEART  THE  SOTJECE  OF  HAPPINESS. 

Now,  if  life's  joy  is  the  meandering  rivulet,  winding 
rapturously  through  the  green  meadows  of  man's  existence, 
then  his  heart  ia  the  source  whence  the  jets  of  its  living 
water  issue.  If  happiness  is  the  fruit  of  the  tree  of  our 
earthly  life,  then,  again,  the  heart  is  the  root  which  brings 
the  food  to  stem  and  branches,  and  on  whose  healthy  con- 
dition blossom  and  fruit  depend.  Like  the  suckling  on  its 
mother's  breast,  so  is  our  soul  safely  harbored  in  the  bosom 
of  God'a  chosen  daughter,  pure  and  holy  faith.  Religion, 
with  motherly  hand,  wakes  her  child  from  sleep.  She  adorns 
the  beloved  offspring  intrusted  to  her  care,  not  with  futile 
ornaments  which  will  fade  and  soon  pass  away,  but  with 
jewels  whose  value  never  diminishes,  but  always  increases. 
Life  is  a  short  and  deceiving  dream,  if  seen  through  the 
camera  obsciira  of  mere  human  fancy.  It  becomes,  how- 
ever, a  sublime  reality  if  viewed  in  the  light  of  God's  truth. 
The  events  of  our  threescore  and  ten  years  develop  into  a 
melancholy  series  of  disappointments  if  we  judge  them  only 


—  159  — 

by  that  which  tastes  sweet  or  bitter  to  the  palate.  But  they 
are  the  precious  links  of  the  golden  chain  of  perfection,  if 
our  ear  is  acute  enough  to  hear  the  spiritual  language  in 
which  they  speak  to  us.  Our  condition  is  just  the  reverse 
of  that  of  the  inspired  bard  of  the  Song  of  Songs.  He 
says: — "I  slept,  but  my  heart  was  awake." 

THE  BODY  AWAKE THE  HEART  SLEEPING. 

We,  all  the  year  long,  are  awake,  but  our  heart  sleeps. 
We  are  toiling  without  meditating;  we  are  struggling  with- 
out contemplating;  we  are  rejoicing  where  perhaps  we 
ought  to  be  sorry;  we  are  wailing  and  complaining  where 
we  most  assuredly  ought  to  praise  the  name  of  the  Lord. 
Time  streams  on  to  the  ocean  of  eternity,  and  the  vessel  of 
our  life  runs  the  wrong  course,  for  the  man  at  the  helm  is 
dozing.  The  heart  is  asleep.  What  does  it  avail  if  the  rest 
of  our  fabric  is  wide  awake?  We  pass  our  days  in  a  dream; 
and  a  wild  dream  it  is!  We  work  with  our  brains,  like 
overheated  locomotive  engines.  We  carry  along  the 
numerous  train  of  pains  and  enterprises,  but,  like  the 
passenger  train,  we  are  always  travelling  on  the  road  and 
never  look  at  time.  We  know  many  things,  but  we  do 
not  know  what  is  passing  in  our  own  house.  I  mean, 
in  the  recesses  of  our  soul,  in  the  chambers  of  our 
heart.  Such  neglect,  however,  is  not  committed  un- 
avenged. The  overheated  locomotive  explodes,  the  train 
comes  to  a  standstill.  What  then?  Oh,  while  it  is  time 
improve  thy  life  and  thy  life's  happiness !  Above  all 
that  is  to  be  guarded  keep  thy  heart,  for  out  of  it 
are  the  issues  of  life. 


Courage  and  Fear. 
August  11,  1877. 

"lam  that  comfortetli you.  etc." 

Isaiah  III.  13.13 

LIKE  the  compass  needle  turning  one  point  toward 
north,  the  other  toward  south,  so  man's  mind  is  constantly 
oscillating  between  the  two  extremes  "Courage 'and  Fear". 


—  160  — 

Opposite  as  these  two  are  in  nature  still  both  seem  to  be  des- 
tined by  Providence  to  perform  the  same  function  to  serve 
as  faithful  guides  to  God's  favorite  creature  through  his 
earthly  pilgrimage.  They  take  possession  of  the  human  be- 
ing on  its  entrance  into  existence  and  do  not  leave  it  even 
at  the  door  of  death.  In  the  earlier  period  of  life  they 
show  themselves  as  childish  daring  and  childish  timidity. 
They  grow  to  strength  of  purpose  and  action  and 
to  care  and  anxiety  with  the  growing  earnestness  of  man- 
hood and  as  the  snow  of  old  age  covers  the  crown  of 
the  head,  being  made  wiser  by  long  experience,  the 
one  turns  into  sublime  hope  of  eternity,  the  other  into 
deep  regret  for  the  shortcomings  and  wasted  hours  of  a 
life  soon  to  be  concluded. 

Courage  aud  Fear  mould  the  heart  and  stamp  the 
character  of  man — the  right  proportions  of  both,  their 
application  in  the  right  place  and  at  the  proper  time 
are  conclusive  in  respect  to  the  value  of  man's  life. 
The  great  mistake  consists  in  misapplication.  Our  blunders 
in  this  regard  begin,  generally  in  childhood  and  continue 
often  through  life.  Bold  and  daring  is  the  child  in  violat- 
ing the  will  of  father  and  mother  and,  apprehending 
the  sad  consequences  of  the  false  step  committed,  fear 
prompts  the  little  sinner  to  conceal  his  evil  deeds  and  so  to 
begin  at  an  early  age  the  sham  life  of  a  hypocrite.  The  seeds 
of  childhood  bear  fruit  in  later  life.  With  the  increasing 
years,  the  objects  change,  but  the  bent  of  mind  remains  the 
same.  Unprincipled  courage  and  unprincipled  fear  are 
both  like  a  whirlwind — the  one  grasps  man  and  lifts 
him  high  up  without  granting  him  a  firm  stand,  the  other 
hurls  him  down  and  lays  him  low  in  the  dust 

"What  avails  the  high  spirit  of  an  army  if  the  leading 
general  does  not  act  after  a  preconcerted  plan — if  he 
neglects  the  measures  of  a  sound  strategy  ?  "With  flying 
banners,  with  swelled  hearts,  the  host  advances.  But  soon 
you  see  the  proud  lines  routed.  "Wild  panic  rages  where  a 
few  hours  ago  indomitable  courage  shouted  its  battle  cry. 
"Would  not  a  little  fear  at  the  proper  time  have  prevented 


—  161  — 

this  disastrous  defeat?  Such  is  man  on  the  battle  field  of 
life.  Trusting  in  the  strength  of  his  arm,  relying  on  the 
resources  of  his  brains,  he  sets  out  against  the  obstacles 
that  beset  his  faith.  Unscrupulous  in  his  means  he  struggles 
on;  by  hook  or  by  crook,  he  must  reach  his  aim.  He  must 
gain  the  prize.  He  must  climb  up  to  the  height  of  his  proud 
desires.  Successes  may  for  a  while  blind  his  vanity;  pros- 
perous years  may  strengthen  his  illusions.  Sure  and  certain, 
however,  there  comes  a  time  when  the  dauntless  warrior  sits 
forlorn  on  the  way  side,  exhausted  in  his  strength,  wounded 
in  his  pride,  wrecked  in  his  hopes — a  broken  old  man  whose 
eye  whether  turning  to  the  past,  present  or  future  cannot 
but  look  with  dismay  upon  life's  lost  battle,  on  ruined 
faculties  and  wasted  energies,  on  forfeited  happiness  here 
and  hereafter.  Ah,  but  a  little  fear — a  little  fear  at  the 
proper  time  and  undoubtedly  this  ruined  life  would  have 
taken  a  different  course,  would  have  led  to  a  far  different 
result. 

WHEN   SHOTILD    MAN   FEAR   OR   BE   BRAVE? 

Some  modern  psychologists  look  upon  man  as  upon  a 
mere  mechanical  work.  They  compare  him  to  a  watch  that 
moves  and  when  the  component  parts  are  worn  out,  then 
movement  stops.  But  from  whatever  side  you  examine 
man's  nature  you  always  find  that  a  Divine  law  is  indispens- 
able to  him.  If  man  is  to  be  compared  to  a  watch,  then 
courage  is  the  moving  spring  that  sets  the  wheel  of  energy 
to  work  and  fear  is  the  escapement  that  interrupts  the 
circulating  motion  of  the  wheels  and  converts  it  into  a 
vibrating  one.  Both  are  necessary  for  the  wonderful  time- 
piece— man.  The  one  actuates  him  to  do,  the  other  to  desist 
from  doing.  How  will  our  modern  psychologists  wind 
up  the  human  time-piece  so  as  to  make  its  course  regular  so 
that  it  mar  always  indicate  true  and  never  false  time  ?  They 
plunge  into  the  deep  sea  of  thought  to  find  some  new 
system  for  man's  inner  life.  There  is  no  necessity  tit  all  for 
their  trouble  in  this  direction.  No  better  system  can  ever  be 
found  than  that  promulgated  in  the  sacred  pages  of  the 
Divine  Book.  When  should  man  fear  and  when  should  he 


—  162  — 

be  courageous  ?  We  find  the  exact  and  never  failing  answer 
in  the  words  of  the  scriptural  text — "Who  art  thou,  that 
thou  shouldst  be  afraid  of  a  mortal,  that  must  die  ? "  No 
assault  of  human  power,  no  vehemence  of  disastrous  events 
can  ever  curb  and  crush  the  man,  that  is  ever  conscious  of 
the  close  relation  between  himself  and  his  Maker.  In  the  face 
of  overwhelming  ricissitudes  he  asks  himself  "Who  am  I? 
Am  I  not  the  beloved  child  of  my  Heavenly  Father  ?  Is  not 
the  Omnipotent  my  shield  and  protection  ?  May  the  sea  of 
troubles  roar  and  rage,  can  He  not  quiet  down  and  lay  still 
its  waves  ?  The  Lord  is  with  me  I  do  not  fear  "  is  the  watch- 
word of  him  who  is  ever  with  the  Lord.  Our  prophet,  how- 
ever continues — "And  thou  forgettest  thy  Maker — thou 
dreadest  continually  ".  Then  man  has  real  cause  to  fear  aiid 
to  dread  when  he  turns  from  Him  who  is  his  help  and  hope, 
his  reliance  and  his  stronghold.  When  he  forgets  and  for- 
sakes his  Maker  then  man  is  forlorn  and  forsaken;  then  it 
is  time  for  him  to  tremble !  With  God  we  have  courage, 
without  Him,  fear  and  despair.  That  is  the  system  of  Divine 
wisdom.  It  is  the  only  true  one.  Let  us  regulate  our 
course  after  it,  then  we  conquer  in  the  battle  of  life,  then 
we  move  right  through  time  to  eternity. 


Man  as  a  winged  Creature. 

August  18,  1877. 

"  Even  as  the  sparrow  has  found  a  house  and  the 
swallow  a  nest  for  herself  where  she  may  lay 
her  young,  po  have  I  found  thy  altars,  oh  Lord 
of  hosts,  iny  King  and  my  God  " 

Psalm  LXXXIV,  4. 

IF  I  were  to  side  with  the  evolutionists  I  would  venture 
to  advance  a  theory — not  more  adventurous,  perhaps,  than 
any  other  of  that  kind — that  man,  before  he  reached  his 
present  state  of  somatical  development,  must  have  belonged 
to  the  feathered  tribes.  By  and  by  he  dropped  his  wings, 
but  he  retained  his  volatile  nature;  for  though  his  pinion  is 
gone,  his  whole  life  is  still  one  continuous  effort  to  rise  and 


—  163  — 

soar  aloft.  If  I  were  inclined  to  Avork  out  my  system,  I 
could  Avrite  a  very  learned  volume  on  this  topic,  as  there  is 
a  great  array  of  details  in  support  of  my  hypothesis.  I 
could  show  hoAV  all  the  genera  of  fowls,  with  their  different 
peculiarities,  are  precisely  represented  in  the  wide  range  of 
human  society.  There  is  a  large  family  of  human  sparrows. 
We  find  them  lurking  on  every  garden  fence,  eating  tit-bits 
of  the  nicest  fruit,  feeding  on  crops  which  they  have  not 
raised.  This  genus  is  noted  for  its  impudence.  There  are 
human  swalloAvs,  coming  in  swarms  where  genial  spring 
weather  invites  them.  Building  their  nests  under  your 
roof,  they  stay  with  you  as  long  as  the  sunny  days  last,  but 
at  the  approach  of  the  melancholy  storms  of  the  rough 
season  they  leave  you  suddenly  to  search  for  more  sunny 
region.  There  are  birds  displaying  proudly  their  magnifi- 
cent colors.  Vanity  breeds  this  genus,  their  number  is 
legions.  There  is  the  human  ostrich,  with  precious  feathers 
and  uncommon  digestion,  possessed  of  the  fatal  delusion 
that  nobody  sees  his  shortcomings,  if  he  himself  hides  his 
face  from  them.  There  is  a  bird  of  night,  the  owl  of  preju- 
dice ;  the  spying  hawk,  the  hook-billed  A~ulture,  the  black 
raven  that  feeds  on  the  carcass  of  crime,  while  the  hawk  of 
life  floats  tremblingly  on  the  mighty  flood  of  God's  wrath. 
There,  however,  is,  on  the  other  hand,  not  missing  the  meek 
dove  carrying  its  olive  branch,  nor  the  host  of  the  sweet 
singing  birds,  nor  the  king  of  the  fowls,  the  high  soaring 
eagle. 

PLACID  HIiABTS  AND  PIOUS    MINDS. 

There  are  placid  hearts  full  of  natural  propensity  for  all 
that  is  good  and  pure ;  there  are  pious  minds  that  embellish 
God's  creation  by  their  sweet  hymns  offered  up  to  the  Crea- 
tor ;  there  are  master  intellects  Avho  by  the  strength  of  their 
spiritual  wings  measure  the  distance  between  heaven  and 
earth  and  dwell  in  their  greatness  on  solitary  heights. 

WHAT  MIGHT    BE  DRAWN  FROM  ANALOGIES. 

The  analogies  mentioned  and  their  number  increased  ad 
infinitum  could  not  induce  me  for  one  moment  seriously  to 


—  164  — 

maintain  the  idea  that  man's  spirit  is  nothing  more  than  the 
outgrowth  of  his  altered  bodily  proportions.  Why  will 
you  make  accountable  the  evil  doer  for  his  misdeeds  if  you 
leave  to  him  the  plausible  excuse,  "  Your  philosophy  chains 
me  so  fast  to  the  lower  animal  world  that  it  is  by  far  more 
natural  for  me  to  do  wrong  than  to  do  right.  You  are  meek, 
unoffending,  benevolent.  I  am  reckless,  violent  and  repul- 
sive. You  belong  to  a  genus  different  from  mine.  It  is  not  the 
merit  of  the  dove  that  she  is  what  she  is  nor  the  vice  of  the 
raven  that  he  never  turns  into  a  dove.  Where  nature  has 
stationed  us  we  must  stand."  Such  reasoning  is  destruct- 
ive to  all  social  order,  but  it  is  the  natural  consequence  of 
our  glittering  modern  theories  on  man  and  man's  mind.  Hu- 
man law  is  or  ought  to  be  the  reflex  ofDivine  law,both  have  their 
foundation  in  man's  accountability.  No  accountability,  how- 
ever, is  possible  where  the  soul  is  denied  to  be  a  free  agent 
and  no  free  activity  of  the  soul  can  possibly  be  asserted  as 
long  as  the  spiritual  element  in  man  is  regarded  as  nothing 
else  than  a  mere  issue  of  his  physical  proportions. 

MODEBN  AND    SPERITUAL    SYSTEMS  COMPARED. 

The  modern  system  claims  the  faculty  of  development 
for  the  body  and  maims  unscrupulously  the  superiority  of 
the  spirit.  The  Scriptural  system  vindicates  the  faculty  of 
development  for  God's  image  in  man — his  soul.  Of  the 
body,  however,  it  says,  "  For  dust  thou  art,  and  to  dust 
shalt  thou  return."  Which  of  these  systems  is  the  true  one. 
There  can  be  no  doubt  about  the  decision.  Let  the  new 
system  work  for  a  time  long  enough  to  wipe  off  all  the  noble 
features  that  religion  has  developed  in  man's  mind.  Let  the 
teachers  of  the  new  school  raise  a  question  with  the  sole 
principle,  "Man's  foundation  is  in  the  dust,  and  his  destina- 
tion is  the  dust" — and  nothing  more.  Let  them  do  so  for  a 
while  and  they  will  sadly  experience  how  soon  the  doves, 
the  birds  of  sweet  song,  the  eagles  of  high  spiritual  flight 
will  decrease,  and  by  and  by  entirely  disappear  from  human 
society  while  the  owls  and  the  vultures  will  increase  and  be- 
come the  dominant  element. 


—  165  — 

THE  HOLY  FIRE  OF  RELIGION. 

How  will  you  nourish  in  man  the  grand  flame  of  filial  and 
conjugal  love,  of  benevolence  and  charity,  of  self-denial  and 
devotion  to  virtue,  if  you  do  not  kindle  it  from  the  ever- 
lasting fire  and  the  holy  altar  of  religion?  This  fire  once 
quenched,  chaos  and  darkness  again  prevail,  and  man's 
bosom  turns  into  an  abyss,  over  which  the  Divine  spirit 
waves  and  wails,  for  extinguished  is  the  light  of  heaven. 
You  cannot  be  godly  without  a  God.  You  cannot  become 
spiritual  without  believing  in  the  superiority  of  your  spirit. 
Religion  is  too  much  of  a  true  friend  to  man,  not  to  be  an 
irreconcilable  adversary  to  a  theory  that  evidently  cannot  but 
harm  man  in  his  highest  and  dearest  interests.  God's  truth 
makes  us  aware  that  our  soul  is  gifted  with  wings.  It 
teaches  us  to  use  them,  shows  us  the  the  direction  we  must 
take  in  our  flight  in  order  to  reach  the  goal.  The  bird  is 
known  by  its  plumage.  Man  is  known  by  his  soul,  but  in 
order  to  train  our  soul  properly  and  to  secure  for  it  a  shelt- 
ering nest  here  and  hereafter  each  of  us  must  be  convinced 
of  the  truth  of  the  words  of  our  text. 


Tithes  and  their  Lessons. 
August  25,  1877. 

"  I  have  not  eaten  thereof  in  my  mourning, 
neither  havel  removed  away  ought  there- 
of in  an  unclean  state,  nor  have  I  given 
aught  (hereof  for  the  dead.  I  have 
hearkened  to  the  voice  of  the  Lord  my 
God.  I  have  done  all  just  as  thou 
commanded  me." 

Deuteronomy,  XVI.,  14. 

IF  we  compare  religious  life  as  prescribed  in  the  Bible 
with  our  religious  practice,  we  find  a  remarkable  difference, 
which  at  the  first  look  seems  to  speak  more  in  favor  of  the 
modern  than  the  olden  times;  for,  while  with  us  it  is  a  rule 
to  appear  in  the  house  of  the  Lord  at  least  once  a  week,  the 
inhabitant  of  Palestine  was  required  to  make  his  appear- 
ance at  the  holy  shrine  in  the  temple  of  Jerusalem  only 
three  times  a  year.  This  shows,  however,  that  the  weekly 


—  166  — 

visit  to  the  house  of  worship  is  by  no  means  to  be  regarded 
as  the  pith  of  religious  life.  The  worshipper  of  old, 
though  he  entered  at  long  intervals  the  sacred  halls  of  the 
sanctuary,  in  the  meantime  every  single  step  in  his  house- 
hold and  business  life  was  marked  by  a  Divine  behest- 
The  word  of  the  Lord  was  to  be  the  sign  on  his  hands,  the 
frontlet  between  his  eyes,  the  exclusive  possessor  of  his 
whole  soul  and  heart.  With  us,  as  between  two  hostile 
powers  a  line  of  demarcation  is  drawn  between  the  tranquil 
life  of  devotion  and  the  busy  life  of  the  market.  The  same 
man  who  reverently  bows  before  the  majesty  of  the  Lord 
in  his  sanctuary  would  strongly  protest  against  any 
intrusion  of  God's  plenipotentiary  of  religion  upon  his 
worldly  affairs.  With  the  old  generations  religion  was  the 
chief  manager  in  all  the  ways  of  life.  It  was  the  true  inter- 
preter of  the  heart's  language  between  husband  and  wife, 
the  trusted  tutor  in  the  education  of  the  growing  family, 
the  accredited  counsellor  in  difficulties,  the  welcome  peace- 
maker in  altercations.  It  was  the  receiver,  teller  and  book- 
keeper, with  one  word,  the  confidential  factotum  in  man'a 
most  secret  business  transactions. 

THE  SCRIPTURAL  INSTITUTION  OF  TITHES. 

Some  people  look  upon  the  scriptural  institution  of 
tithes  as  upon  a  selfish  law  devised  by  some  cunning 
ecclesiastic  to  satisfy  his  priestly  avarica  Ignorance  ob- 
scures the  vision  of  those  who  think  so,  else  they  would  per- 
ceive that  while  each  of  the  other  tribes  constituting  the 
people  had  their  portion  in  the  Promised  Land,  the  priest 
had  no  other  boon  but  his  God,  and  no  other  portion  but  the 
pious  donations  of  his  brethren.  The  law-giver,  had  it 
been  his  main  intention  to  enrich  the  priests,  could  have 
done  so  by  following  the  Egyptian  example,  giving  unto 
them  the  best  territories  of  the  land.  Tithes  are  the  true 
tests  of  man's  earnestness  in  religion;  they  are  the  best 
means  to  educate  the  mind  to  practical  piety.  It  is  an  error 
if  people  think  that  all  the  tithes  went  to  the  Levites.  There 
were  three  kinds  of  them,  and  each  suggested  a  different 
idea;  the  first  class:  the  tithes  that  were  given  to  the 


—  167  — 

Levite  reminded  the  owner  of  his  connection  with  the 
sanctuary  he  was  to  support,  God's  household,  remembering 
that  it  is  kind  Providence  that  grants  the  harvests  and  pro- 
vides for  all  our  wants.  The  consciousness  of  man's  de- 
pendence upon  God's  mercy  was  nourished  by  this  religious 
tribute.  Self-conceit  and  overrating  his  own  power  were 
prevented,  and  so  the  giver  received  far  more  than  he  gave. 
There  was  a  second  class  of  tithes — the  second  year  after 
the  year  of  release  was  appointed  for  it.  The  owner  had  to 
take  the  tenth  part  of  his  harvest,  convert  it  into  money  and 
go  up  with  his  family  to  the  holy  metropolis  and  spend  the 
proceeds  there  "in  all  that  his  soul  wished  and  so  to  rejoice  be- 
fore the  face  of  the  Lord."  If  the  first  class  was  to  teach  the 
possessor  who  was  the  dispenser  of  his  blessing,  this  second 
class  of  tithe  was  intended  to  instruct  him  how  to  enjoy  in 
purity  the  merciful  gifts  of  Providence.  That  the  poor 
might  not  be  forgotten  in  this  rejoicing  is  patent  from  the 
Scriptural  advice.  According  to  divine  morals,  however, 
charity  should  not  be  a  whim,  but  a  law  with  man.  There  came 
the  third  year  after  the  year  of  release,  and  then  the  poor, 
the  orphan  and  the  widow  could  claim  the  tenth  part  of  the 
owner's  produce  as  their  lawful  due.  This  was  the  third 
class  of  tithes,  and  what  a  rich  harvest  the  pious  husband- 
nan  reaped  in  his  third  j-ear.  He  that  feeds  the  hungry,  he 
that  supports  the  widow  and  acts  fatherly  toward  the  for- 
saken orphan,  stores  up  his  grain  in  that  eternal  granary 
which  opens  for  us  when  all  earthly  stores  are  closed. 

TITHE-Gmxa  AS  THE  PRACTICAL  SCHOOL  OF  RELIGION. 

Was  not  this  cycle  of  tithe-giving  the  best  school  of 
practical  religion?  The  deed  proceeded  and  then  came  the 
word.  When  the  cycle  was  through  then  the  confessor  had 
to  make  his  verbal  confession,  and  each  sentence  of  the  same 
represented  one  of  the  sublime  principles  taught  by  the 
divine  law. 

Mournful  is  the  soul  of  him  who  acquires  the  goods  of 
this  world  without  acknowledging  Him  who  giveth  them. 
The  pious  confessor,  however,  said,  "  What  shall  we  say  of 
him  who  by  his  unscrupulous  enjoyments  defiles  his  soul  and 


—  168  — 

turns  God's  blessing  into  a  curse  for  himself?"  The  old  con- 
fessor furthermore  said, — "Neither  have  I  removed  away 
aught  thereof  in  an  unclean  state."  And  he  \vho  hoards  up 
his  treasures  without  infusing  into  them  the  circulating  life- 
blood  of  charity,  does  he  not  kill  God's  blessing  and  lay  it  to 
the  dead?  The  confessor  of  old  moreover  had  to  say, 
"Nor  have  I  given  aught  thereof  for  the  dead."  Let  us,  in 
conclusion,  transfer  this  lesson  into  our  own  lives.  In 
acquiring,  enjoying,  and  distributing  the  goods  of  this 
world  let  us  follow  the  principle  of  the  divine  teachings. 
Then  we  may,  with  the  confessor  of  old,  exclaim:  "I  have 
hearkened  to  the  voice  of  the  Lord  my  God;  I  have  done  all 
just  as  Thou  commanded  me." 


Hebrew  Holiness. 
Sept.  3,  1877. 

"  Create  within  me  a  clean  heart,  oh  God! 
and  a  firm  spirit  renew  those  within  me. 
Cast  me  not  away  from  Thy  presence. 
and  Thy  holy  spirit  do  not  take  from 
me.  Restore  unto  me  the  gladness  of 
Thy  salvation,  and  with  a  liberal  spirit 
do  Ihou  support  me." 

Psalms,  LI.,  12— H. 

IT  is  a  pity  to  behold  a  sweet  flower  drooping  its  head 
and  withering  away  under  the  scorching  rays  of  a  burning 
sun.  It  is,  on  the  other  hand,  a  gratifying  and  gladdening 
sight  to  observe  how  the  dying  blossom  revives  and  raises 
joyfully  her  fragrant  chalice  when  refreshed  by  the  blessed 
food  of  God's  mild  dew.  This  picture  in  its  double 
aspect  is  truly  reflected  in  the  beautiful  chapter  from  which 
I  have  taken  my  text.  We  see  there  the  sweetest  flower, 
the  mind  of  the  divine  poet,  the  heart  of  the  sacred  bard, 
languishing,  pining,  drooping,  touched  by  the  sulphur 
breath  of  burning  sin;  the  jetting  fountain  of  sweet  hymns 
has  turned  into  a  dark  abyss  from  which  the  groanings  of  a 
tormented  soul  ascend.  The  purple  that  covers  the  royal 
sinner  is  not  large  enough  to  hide  the  deep  wound  which 


—  169  — 

his  evil  deed  lias  inflicted  upon  him.  His  great  mind  does 
not  forsake  him  even  while  in  the  snares  of  evil.  He  strips 
himself  of  his  purple,  girds  with  sackcloth  his  loins,  bends 
deep  in  the  dust  his  crowned  head;  the  outcry,  "I  have 
sinned  to  the  Lord!"  rings  from  his  agonized  soul,  and  lo! 
the  burning  tear  of  repentance  turns  into  the  mild  heavenly 
dew  which  restores  the  pure  fragrance  of  spiritual  bloom  to 
his  mind.  The  most  sublime  jet  of  his  fountain  of  songs  is 
this,  his  sacred  hymn  of  a  repenting  soul.  He  is  a  faith- 
ful teacher,  a  trusty  guide,  showing  not  only  him  who  never 
strayed  the  upward  path  to  virtue's  height,  but  mildly  and 
wisely  directing  also  the  one  who  has  fallen  now  to  rise 
again — how  to  work  himself  up  from  the  depth  of  sin  to  the 
height  of  God's  mercy.  He  himself  was  a  saved  transgressor; 
therefore  he  could  say: — "I  will  teach  transgressors  their 
ways  and  sinners  shall  return  unto  Thee."  What  we  learn 
from  him  is  that  the  faded  blossoms  of  the  soul  are  restored 
and  the  gladness  of  salvation  is  won  for  the  pining  breast 
through  a  clean  heart,  a  firm  mind  and  a  liberal  spirit. 

SPIRITUAL  REJUVENATION THE  NEW  TEAR. 

"When,  my  friends,  could  such  teachings  be  more  wel- 
come to  us  than  at  the  present  period,  when  we  have  to  per- 
form in  and  on  ourselves?  We  stand  at  the  eve  of  the  ex- 
piring year.  The  next  Sabbath  will  usher  us  into  the  new 
one.  Ere  we  enter  the  new  cycle  of  months,  a  retrospective 
is  so  very  natural,  so  very  necessary  to  each  of  us,  and  the 
lesson  taught  by  the  sacred  bard  may  help  us  greatly  the 
better  to  judge  our  past  and  to  improve  our  future  by  due 
preparation.  A  year  is  long,  especially  when  it  does  not 
count  among  the  propitious  ones.  In  its  course  we  see  many 
a  dear  hope  fall,  many  a  cherished  expectation  wither.  At 
its  conclusion  we  look  upon  the  field  of  our  foiled  prospects 
as  upon  a  garden  over  which  the  severe  storms  of  the  season 
have  passed.  "We  regret  its  decayed  state,  the  more  we  re- 
member the  brilliant  splendor  of  its  spring  glory. 

THE  THREE  MAIN  ERRORS  OF  LEARNING. 

The  great  British  philosopher,  Bacon,  has  pointed  out 
three  main  errors  or  distempers,  as  he  calls  them — vain 


—  170  — 

imaginations,  vain  altercations  and  vain  affectations.  The 
most  important  learning  for  man  is  undoubtedly  the  know- 
ledge of  bis  Maker  and  all  the  moral  consequences  that 
emanate  from  this  knowledge  are  the  streams  of  life  from 
which  man  draws  his  happiness  in  time  and  eternity,  from 
which  the  right  nourishment  flows  for  all  that  man's  hand 
plants  for  earth  and  for  heaven.  The  three  distempers,  how- 
ever, adulterate  the  source  and  deprive  us  of  its  blessings. 
Our  vain  imaginings  cause  us  to  seek  happiness  where 
misery  is  to  be  found.  Our  vain  altercations  prompt  us  to 
doubt  everlasting  truths  and  to  combat  against  Divine  wis- 
dom. Our  vain  affectations  remove  us  from  the  straight  line 
of  that  which  is  good  and  draws  us  into  the  crooked  paths  of 
that  wrhich  is  evil.  Is  it  to  be  wondered  at  that  by  such 
agencies  the  blossoms  of  our  joys  fade  and  die  away?  But  to 
cure  the  Morah  of  disbelief  there  is  our  Psalmist's  remedy, 
the  clean  heart,  the  firm  spirit,  the  liberal  mind.  They  in- 
sure for  us  the  gladness  of  salvation.  They  lead  us  through 
the  streaming  years  to  the  port  of  charity.  They  offer  unto 
us  the  never-fading  blossoms  of  joys  that  never  end. 


The  Pilgrimage  of  Life. 
Sept.  9,   1877. 

"  I  lift  up  my  eyes  nnto  the  mountains. 
Whence  shall  come  my  help?  My 
help  ia  from  the  Lord,  the  Maker  of 
heaven  and  earth." 

Psalm  CXXI.,  1.2. 

IT  behooves  the  pilgrim  through  the  valley  of  earthly 
life  to  rest  for  a  moment  at  the  boundary  stone  of  a  new 
year  and  to  reflect  earnestly  whereto  his  path  leads  him  that 
he  may  not  stray  in  his  wanderings  from  the  final  goal.  In 
the  far,  far  distance,  scarcely  noticeable  to  the  scanning  eye, 
there  runs  the  blue  mountain  range  which  separates  him 
from  eternity.  It  is  our  last  station  of  our  pilgrimage.  Man 
must  pass  it  in  order  to  reach  his  home,  and  therefore  it  is 
advisable  for  him  to  lift  up  his  eyes  unto  these  mountains 
and  never  to  lose  them  from  his  view.  Many  say,  "  The 


—  171  — 

road  is  long,  why  should  we  begin  the  journey  of  life  by 
looking  after  the  distant  mountains  ?  There  is  time  enough 
for  that  as  we  approach  the  end.  In  the  meantime  we  will  en- 
joy the  pleasures  of  the  way."  But  rolling  time  teaches  us 
another  lesson.  The  green  meadows  of  our  merry  sports, 
the  gay  days  of  our  youth,  how  quickly  they  pass  away ! 
The  hot  days  of  our  manly  labor,  long  and  weary  as  they 
are,  still  they  pass  away !  Time  rolls  on  and  drifts  us  nearer 
and  nearer  to  the  end,  still  we  say  the  road  is  long  and 
there  is  yet  tune.  But  lo!  we  stand  at  the  foot  of  the 
mountain,  unaware,  unprepared — a  lost  life  behind  us  and 
lost  hopes  before  us  ! 

TIJIE   AND    ETERNITY. 

Again,  many  others  say,  "  The  mountain  range,  between 
time  and  eternity  is  so  far  off,  so  dim  and  so  vanishing  that 
it  looks  more  like  dreamland.  "Why  should  we  waste  our 
time  and  our  energies  with  hunting  after  a  mere  imaginary 
point?  "We  will  set  before  ourselves  real  ends  and  aims, 
which  are  more  tangible  and  lie  within  the  scope  of  our 
reach."  They  accordingly  neglect  and  abandon  the  far 
future  with  its  hopes  and  promises  and  devote  themselves 
entirely  to  the  courtship  of  the  flying  moment,  their  seed  is 
for  the  moment  and  their  harvests  are  from  the  moment. 
But  what  is  the  moment  ?  A  drop  in  the  ocean  of  time. 
Seafarer  on  the  ocean  of  life  the  mightiest  waves  you  have 
to  leave  behind,  how  will  you  make  a  lasting  covenant  with 
the  single  drops?  Our  worldly  aims  are  they  the  real  ends? 
"When  we  have  reached  them  can  we  say,  "Here  I  rest,  here 
I  will  stay,  for  here  is  my  delight?"  Rolling  Time  says, 
"  No  ".  All  our  successes  on  earth  are  momentary  stations. 
They  remain  behind  and  we  pass  onward,  unremittingly  on- 
ward and  forward.  "What  we  deemed  so  near  and  so  prehens- 
ible  recedes  further,  always  further.  No  human  power 
can  ever  grasp  the  days  past  and  what  we  deemed  so  far 
and  so  dim  draws  nearer,  always  nearer.  No  human  con- 
trivance can  make  us  escape  from  meeting  it.  The  journey 
is  over.  "We  alight  from  the  wings  of  time,  we  stand 
before  the  blue  mountains  of  eternity,  and  there  the  truth 


—  172  — 

stares  us  in  our  face.  Our  aims  and  ends  were  all  imagin- 
ary dreams.  The  real  goal  of  man  is  the  home  of  his  soul 
— the  realm  of  everlasting  life. 

NECESSITY    FOB   FAITH. 

Many  again,  express  themselves  well  disposed  toward 
spiritual  things  and  inclined  to  "lift  up  their  eyes  unto  the 
mountains,"  but  their  life's  path,  they  say,  is  so  densely  be- 
set with  troubles  and  tribulations,  they  have  to  struggle  so 
incessantly  against  the  vicissitudes  in  their  way,  that  there 
remains  no  time  for  them  to  pay  attention  to  the  remote 
heights  of  spiritual  hopes  and  prospects,  and  they  are  wrong 
in  saying  or  in  thinking  so.  Where  else  could  and  should 
we  find  refuge  in  the  days  of  need,  but  on  the  impregnable 
mountain  crest  of  pure  faith?  Incur  struggles  and  troubles 
can  we  find  a  better  support  than  a  firm  reliance  on  Him 
who  never  sleeps  and  who  never  slumbers,  but  watches  over 
us  with  father's  care,  even  in  the  darkest  night!  Without 
Him  we  are  in  the  face  of  the  adversities  of  life,  like  the  ser- 
vant of  the  prophet,  when  he  saw  the  Syrian  army  surround- 
ing them  and  exclaimed  despairingly,  "Alas,  my  master,  what 
shall  we  do  ?"  With  God  we  are  like  the  prophet,  who 
calmly  r-esponded,  "  Fear  not,  for  more  are  with  us  than 
with  them,"  Whether  our  path  runs  through  the  roses  of 
joy  or  the  thorns  of  suffering,  it  is  equally  necessary  for 
us  to  keep  the  holy  mountain  in  sight,  to  invoke  the  aid  of 
Him  who  was  our  true  shepherd  in  the  past  and  will  be  our 
faithful  guide  all  through  the  piano  of  time  to  the  blue 
mountains  of  eternity. 


Days  of  Atonement  and  Return. 

September  16,  1877. 

"Return,  O  Israel,  unto  the  Lord,  thy  God,"  etc. 
Hosea  XIV,  2-3. 

THE  ten  days  from  the  New  Year  to  the  Day  of  Atone- 
ment are  called  "  days  of  return."  The  New  Year's  day  is 
devoted  to  the  important  task  of  self  examination.  By  the 
clear  light  of  God's  word  we  search  the  chambers  of  our 


—  173    - 

heart,  we  enter  into  the  hidden  recesses  of  our  mind,  and 
wherever  we  find  a  feeling  or  a  thought  contrary  to  the 
teachings  of  our  Heavenly  Father  we  try  to  eradicate  it  like 
a  weed  from  the  blessed  ground  where  only  sound  plants 
should  grow.  By  condemning  our  faulty  principles,  by  re- 
placing them  with  such  as  are  more  in  accordance  with  our 
nature  as  God's  children,  we  make  our  peace  with  ourselves. 
The  day  of  Atonement  again,  is  devoted  to  confession.  At  that 
time  we  lay  bare  our  shortcomings  before  the  all-seeing  eye 
of  the  Lord.  Not  that  He  must  wait  for  our  communica- 
tions in  order  to  know  what  passes  in  the  secret  retreats  of 
our  being.  Under  Him  are  revealed  our  sensations,  feel- 
ings and  ideas,  even  before  they  are  born,  even  before  they 
are  conceived  or  perceived  by  ourselves.  In  making  our 
confession  before  Him,  however,  we  give  evidence  that  our 
self-examination  has  resulted  in  the  thorough  knowledge  of 
our  usefulness,  that  we  are  loath  to  be  at  variance  with  the 
will  of  our  Maker,  and  that  we  have  formed  the  purpose  to 
regulate  our  lives  by  the  law  of  His  wisdom. 

ATONEMENT   AND    RECONCILIATION. 

New  Tear's  day  ia  a  day  of  seed,  Atonement  day  is  the 
day  of  harvest.  After  a  close  reckonning  with  ourselves  we 
are  enabled  to  make  our  peace  with  the  Creator.  This,  how- 
ever, does  not  complete  the  work  of  self -purification  and  moral 
restoration.  Threefold  as  our  duties  are,  threefold  also  are 
our  violations  and  threefold  must  consequently  be  the  way 
of  our  repentance  and  amendment.  There  are  duties  and 
sins  in  respect  to  ourselves,  to  God  and  to  our  fellow  men, 
and  the  efficacy  of  the  Atonement  day  is  thus  confined  by 
the  teachings  of  our  old  masters.  The  things  that  are  be- 
tween man  and  God  are  removed  by  virtue  of  that  day; 
the  things  between  man  and  man,  however,  are  not  removed, 
nor  forgiven  unless  the  offender  has  reconciled  the  offended, 
the  injurer  the  injured,  unless  full  apology  and  restitution 
have  been  made.  Our  peace  with  our  fellowmen  must  be 
made  ere  we  can  make  peace  with  our  Creator.  The  inter- 
vening days  between  New  Year  and  Atonement  day  are  de- 
voted to  this  important  task.  I  think  the  time  is  not  too  long 


—  174  — 

for  the  work,  and  we  bare  not  one  moment  to  spare.  In  the 
bosom  of  the  best  disposed  families  how  many  a  rash  or 
harsh  word  is  dropped  at  inconsiderate  moments  either  by 
husband  or  wife.  The  one  that  spoke  it  soon  forgets  it,  but 
the  one  at  whom  it  was  aimed  bears  it,  perhaps,  yet  as  a 
painful  sting  in  his  or  her  Abounded  feelings.  This  is  the 
time  to  restore  the  conjugal  relations  to  the  sanctity  of  the 
vowed  love  of  faith. 

HONOR  THY  FATHEB  AXD  MOTHER. 

Sons  and  daughters  who  may  have  offended  their  parents 
by  open  or  concealed  disobedience  can  not  appear  before 
Him  who  has  commanded,  "  Honor  thy  father  and  mother  " 
with  this  burden  on  their  conscience.  This  is  the  time  to 
restore  the  filial  heart  to  its  purity.  Friends  who  have  bro- 
ken the  golden  chain  of  friendship  through  an  unkind  word 
or  act,  now  is  the  time  to  mend  the  link,  or  else  this  one  im- 
pure link  might  become  your  accuser  before  the  Lord  and 
might  frustrate  the  work  of  your  atonement.  I  do  not  enter 
into  the  secrets  of  your  business  life.  I  leave  it  to  yourselves 
to  investigate  closely  and  to  find  out  where  wrongs  are  to  be 
mended,  where  restitution  is  to  be  made.  May  your  own 
conscience  lead  you  up  to  the  height  of  God's  atonement.  You 
cannot  miss  the  way.  It  is  mapped  out  by  the  sacred  word, 
"  Who  shall  ascend  into  the  mountains  of  the  Lord,  and  who 
shall  be  able  to  stand  in  His  holy  place  ?  He  that  is  clean  of 
hands  and  pure  of  heart,  who  has  not  lifted  up  his  soul 
into  falsehood  and  has  not  sworn  deceitfully.  He  shall  bear 
away  blessings  from  the  Lord  and  righteousness  from 
the  God  of  his  salvation."  Ere  we  look  up  to  the  height  of 
our  salvation  let  us  look  humbly  down  to  the  low  lands  of 
our  daily  walk  of  life,  for  there  lie  the  stumbling  blocks  of  our 
sin;  from  there  they  must  be  removed  in  order  to  open 
for  us  the  path  that  we  may  completely  return  to  God  and 
may  gain  from  Him  the  atonement  of  His  mercy  and  the 
blessing  of  His  salvation. 


—  175  — 

A  Week  in  God's  Workshop. 
October  7,  1877. 

"  In  the  beginning  the  Lord  created  the 
heaven  and  the  earth." 

Genesis,  I.,  1. 

As  the  dawn  of  morning  removes  the  dark  veil  of  night, 
so  the  first  words  of  the  eternal  book  break  through  the 
tenebrity  of  myth  and  superstition,  and  proclaim  the  rise  of 
a  light  that  never  shall  be  quenched.  Could  we  imagine  a 
more  sublime  beginning  of  the  divine  truth  than  the  one 
line  that  heads  the  Pentateuch?  The  tree  of  human  know- 
ledge bears  its  blossoms,  but  they  are  the  short-lived  chil- 
dren of  the  season;  one  series  withers,  another  takes  its 
place,  and,  as  its  predecessor,  it  is  destined  to  be  followed  by 
its  successor.  There  is  the  dream  world  of  the  Hindoo 
"Nirvana,"  the  Egyptian  mystery  of  hieroglyphic  animal 
symbols,  the  Greek  wisdom  of  elementary  creative  power; 
system  after  system  emerged  and  vanished;  what  was  one 
time  revered  and  admired  as  the  summum  of  truth,  a  fol- 
lowing period  severely  sentenced  it  as  the  migratory  product 
of  childish  fancy,  the  analyzer  Time  declared  one  system 
after  the  other  as  untenable,  and  as  to  our  modern  theories, 
though  they  glitter  in  the  pride  of  many  detailed  observa- 
tions, is  it  likely  that  they  will  escape  the  fate  of  similar 
theories. 

I  cheerfully  admit  that  not  one  blossom  of  the  tree 
of  human  knowledge  falls  to  the  ground  without  enriching 
mankind  with  sweet  and  useful  fruit;  but  as  to  the  all 
deciding  consequences,  as  to  the  solution  of  the  great  ques- 
tion "How  came  the  universe  into  existence?"  all  human 
efforts  would  prove  futile.  In  the  rapid  course  of  all  the 
floating  systems,  like  a  rock  in  the  ocean,  will  stand  firmly 
and  unconquerecl  the  simple  words  of  the  Scriptures,  "In 
the  beginning  the  Lord  created  heaven  and  earth." 

CREATION  AS  GIVEN  AND  AS  ATTACKED  BY  SCIENTISTS. 

The  account  of  creation  as  given  in  the  Bible  is  attacked 
by  our  modern  scientists  on  account  of  the  six  days  men- 
tioned therein.  Th-ey  seem  to  forget  that  the  Divine  law 


—  176  — 

does  not  pretend  to  be  a  handbook  for  theology  or  any 
kindred  science.  Its  great  aim  is  to  educate  the  moral 
sense  in  man;  and  whosoever  is  familiar  with  its  language 
knows  well  that  it  speaks  of  God  so  as  to  make  Divine  per- 
fection the  mirror  in  which  human  virtue  and  purity  were 
reflected. 

I  think  that  the  six  days,  with  the  succeeding  Sabbath, 
are  a  figure  taken  from  human  life.  The  Scripture  does  so 
for  two  reasons.  In  the  first  place,  by  introducing  the 
familiar  picture  of  the  week,  the  whole  narrative  wins  a 
simplicity  and  familiarity  which  brings  it  much  nearer  to 
the  heart  and  to  the  common  understanding;  and,  second,  it 
holds  before  man  the  true  model  as  to  how  he  should  shape 
the  work  of  his  week  in  order  to  obtain  real  success. 

LIGHT  ASTD  DAKKNESS. 

There  we  are  at  the  point.  Let  man  be  wiser  than  the 
Scripture  is  in  things  which  are  given  to  human  wisdom; 
but  let  him  not  touch  two  ideas  which  are  above  human  wis- 
dom, namely,  the  truth  of  a  Supreme  Creator  and  the 
truth  that  man  is  created  in  the  image  of  God.  Why,  there 
is  enough  for  man  to  learn  in  the  first  page  of  the  sacred 
book.  As  God  began  with  light,  so  you  begin  all  your 
work  with  the  light  of  faith  and  trust  in  God.  As  God 
divided  between  light  and  darkness,  and  called  the  light 
day  and  the  darkness  night,  so  you  shall  distinguish  between 
good  and  evil,  and  call  everything  by  its  proper  name.  As 
God  examined  at  the  close  of  every  day  His  work  and  saw  it 
was  good,  so  let  not  one  day  in  your  life  pass  but  ask  your- 
self at  its  conclusion,  "How  was  my  daily  work?"  And  do 
not  feel  satisfied  unless  your  innermost  conscience  answers, 
"It  was  good!"  As  God  crowned  the  six  days  of  creation 
with  the  seventh  day  of  holy  rest,  so  let  the  days  of  your 
honest  labor  become  sanctified  by  the  solemn  rest  and  devo- 
tion of  that  day,  which  is  the  glorious  crown  of  our  we^k. 
And,  finally,  as  God  at  the  completion  of  his  creation  once 
more  examined  all  that  He  made  and  found  that  it  was 
good,  so  may  all  the  days  of  your  life  form  a  wreath  of  good 
deeds;  that  when  your  last  hour  approaches  you  may  cast  a 


—  177  — 

satisfied  look  in  the  past  and  in  the  future  and  part  from 
this  life's  work  with  the  consciousness  that  it  was  good. 
Yes,  believe  firmly  "In.  the  beginning  the  Lord  created 
heaven  and  earth,"  and  it  will  be  well  with  all  to  the  last  end 
in  time  as  well  as  in  eternity. 


The  Bible  and  its  Teachings. 
October  28,  1877. 

"  This  ia  the  book  of  the  generations  of  Adam. 
On  the  day  that  God  created  man,  in  the  like- 
ness of  God  made  He  him." 

Genesis  V,  I. 

THE  great  Roman  orator  has  pronounced  it  that  books 
had  their  fate.  Some  are  still  born,  some  live  for  a  short 
period,  and  then  expire  ;  the  very  few  that  survive  in  the 
length  of  time  become  slaves  ;  chained  to  the  shelves  of  the 
antiquarian  they  cease  to  be  fields  on  which  life  reaps  its 
harvest  of  wisdom  and  change  into  the  secluded  hunting 
ground,  where  the  literary  chaser  hunts  after  the  rare  game 
of  antique  oddities.  One  book  makes  an  exception.  Its 
glorious  destiny  was  sealed  by  its  first  appearance  and  in 
spite  of  roiling  time  and  its  destructive  power  this  book 
with  never  abating  strength,  serves  its  destination.  If  there 
be  no  other  proof  for  the  Divine  origin  of  the  Bible,  its 
perpetual  youth,  its  never  slacking  use  and  usefulness, 
speak  sufficiently  of  its  superiority  over  all  human  wisdom. 
It  is  the  book  for  all  times  and  all  men  ;  it  teaches  the  king 
justice  and  humility,  and  infuses  trust  and  dignity  into  the 
beggar  ;  it  shows  to  the  learned  the  boundaries  where  hu- 
man wisdom  ends  and  brings  the  dawning  spirit  of  the  child 
to  the  gates  where  human  wisdom  begins ;  it  advices  the 
joyful  to  enhance  and  purify  his  joys  and  informs  mercifully 
the  aching  and  breaking  heart  how  to  alleviate  sorrow  and 
mourning  ;  it  raises  the  finger  of  warning  toward  the  youth 
not  to  trust  in  the  abundance  of  strength  and  at  the  same 
time  lends  the  fortifying  staff  to  fhe  weary  wanderer  for 
his  last  steps  through  the  dark  valley  of  death.  It  speaks 


—  178  — 

to  nations  and  to  individuals,  to  all  humanity  and  to  every 
single  member  of  human  kind.  It  promulgates  the  highest 
principles  of  politics  and  imparts  the  modest  rules  for  the 
humble  household ;  it  embraces  man  in  all  dimensions,  earth 
in  all  climates,  time  in  all  changes  and  eternity  in  all  its 
glory.  One  would  think  that  to  cover  such  an  immense 
range  of  instruction  a  system  must  be  applied  which  is 
complicated  and  difficult  to  be  comprehended.  It  is  not  so. 
The  whole  book  is  based  on  one  cardinal  point,  from  which 
all  the  streams  of  light  break  forth  with  such  abundance, 
strength  and  intensity  as  to  penetrate  into  all  circles  and 
classes  of  humanity's  life. 

The  fountainhead  of  all  human  morality  is  concentrated 
in  the  one  truth  :  on  the  day  that  God  created  man  "  in  the 
likeness  of  God  made  He  him ! "  From  this  relation  of  man  to 
God  issues  the  infallible  arrangement  of  all  relations  be- 
tween man  and  man  ;  moral  affinity  and  moral  associations 
— this  is  the  Alpha  and  Omega  of  the  Scriptural  system. 
The  faultiness  of  human  life  is  the  sad  consequence  of  swerv- 
ing from  this  system. 

The  great  Book  proclaims  love — love  founded  on  moral 
affinity — and,  therefore,  it  will  always  remain  sound  and 
vigorous  in  its  teaching,  and  the  regeneration  of  humankind 
will  take  place,  when  the  Divine  Book  will  be  the  respected 
and  obeyed  moral  adviser  of  all  the  children  of  Adam. 


The  Purifying  Waves. 
November  11,  1877. 

.       "And  the  dove  came  to  him  at  the  time 
of  the  evening,  and  lo,  an  olive  leaf 
plucked  off  was  in  her  month .  " 
Genesis  XVIII,  11. 

THE  fact  of  a  mighty  flood  that  covered  the  earth  in  its 
earliest  period  is  chronicled  in  the  record  of  all  ancient 
nations.  Moreover,  it  is  imprinted  in  the  vast  sheets  of 
the  various  continents,  so  that  the  most  sceptic  cannot 
doubt  its  truth.  Many  of  its  scientific  details  can  be  studied 


179 


in  the  different  museums  where  the  respective  excavations 
are  preserved.  The  Bible,  however,  in  speaking  of  this  early 
event,  makes  it  her  task  to  display  the  picture  in  all  the 
majesty  of  its  moral  significance  before  the  eyes  of  our 
mind,  and  she  succeeds  so  thoroughly  that  we  may  safely 
assert  that  this  one  chapter  of  the  Holy  Book,  if  well  under- 
stood, imparts  sufficient  wisdom  and  love  to  protect  and 
guide  men  on  the  checkered  path  of  life. 

ONE  SIDE  OF  THE  GRAND  PICTURE. 

Let  us  view  the  different  groups  of  this  picture,  and  we 
shall  be  able  to  judge  of  its  unsurpassed  merits.  There  we 
see  the  young  terrestrial  globe  blooming  and  beaming  in 
the  glee  of  youth,  inhabited  by  a  generation  that  was 
blessed  with  abundance,  vigor  and  longevity.  All  the  physi- 
cal condition  for  undisturbed  prosperity  prevailed.  Only 
one  thing  was  missing — morality.  This  want,  however, 
blighted  the  beauty  of  the  earth  and  undermined  the  wel- 
fare of  its  inhabitants;  all  the  riches  of  the  young  planet, 
all  the  health  and  strength  of  a  gigantic  race  were  of  no 
avail;  where  the  gnawing  worm  of  immorality,  of  godless- 
ness,  feeds  on  the  precious  plant  of  prosperity  there,  like 
the  gourd  of  Jonah,  it  withers  in  one  night.  Man  may  be- 
come deceived  by  his  apparent  prosperous  state ;  the  forbear- 
ance of  the  long  suffering  God  may  lull  him  into  the  fatal 
belief  that  there  is  neither  faith  nor  judgment;  sure  and 
certain  it  is,  however,  that  the  moment  we  begin  to  ignore 
the  supreme  power  and  to  defy  the  ruling  wisdom  of  the 
Eternal  we  seal  our  own  sentence.  Retribution  begins  his 
iron  march.  We  cannot  evade,  we  cannot  resist  it.  Be  the 
station  of  the  sinner  yet  as  high,  retribution  comes  like  the 
sweeping  torrent,  pouring  down  from  on  high,  breaking 
forth  from  the  dark  depths,  rising  higher  and  ever  higher 
until  it  covers  the  highest  mountains  of  human  greatness, 
and  the  roar  of  its  unchanged  billows  proclaims  to  the 
trembling  world,  "God  is  justice." 

ANOTHER  SIDE  OF  THE  PICTURE. 

Then  to  another  side  of  the  wonderful  picture.  The 
struggling  earth  has  disappeared.  The  messenger  of  God 


—  180  — 

has  conquered.  Far,  far  away  is  spread  the  solitude  of 
waters,  and  as  on  the  day  of  creation  the  spirit  of  the  Omni- 
potent moves  alone  over  the  immense  deep.  But  yonder,  on 
the  far  horizon,  what  is  the  little  speck  moving  to  and  fro  — 
now  vanishing  as  if  devoured  by  the  hungry  waves,  now 
again  emerging  as  if  torn  by  tha  hand  of  the  Almighty  out 
of  the  yawning  jaws  of  death?  This  is  Noah's  ark.  This 
is  man's  track  on  the  stormy  flood  of  life.  This  fragile 
vessel  floating  safely  on  the  element  of  destruction,  and 
carrying  in  the  midst  of  ruin  the  seed  for  a  new  and  better 
world,  is  the  endowment  of  God's  providence — is  the  illus- 
tration of  that  cardinal  truth  that  justice  and  mercy  meet 
in  Him.  The  same  hand  that  destroyed  a  sinful  world  holds 
with  a  father's  care  over  the  waves  the  faithful  child  that 
clings  to  Him.  Seafarer  on  the  troubled  ocean  of  life,  that 
little  speck,  tossed  biit  not  harmed  by  raging  elements 
speaks  to  thee.  It  proclaims  to  all  sufferers  the  heavenlj 
message,  "God  is  love." 

NOAH  AND  THE  KEAPPEABING  WORU). 

The  waters  abate;  nearer  and  nearer  drifts  the  bark  to 
the  newly  emerged  shore.  We  can.  see  it  now  distinctly. 
The  window  of  the  bark  opens.  The  head  of  a  man  appears 
in  the  open  window;  gray  is  his  hair,  the  features  of  his  face 
bear  the  traces  of  the  190  days  of  such  a  sea  voyage  as 
Noah  made.  But  his  eye!  how  enraptured  it  greets  the  long 
missed  rays  of  the  sun;  how  joyfully  it  rests  on  the  first 
boding  of  the  reappearing  world!  It  cannot  be  mistaken 
what  this  part  of  the  grand  tableau  means  to  say.  It 
preaches  the  great  sermon  of  life — resignation.  Sufferer,  as 
long  as  the  flood  of  misfortune  rages  keep  close  within  the 
God-given  ark  of  faith.  There  is  the  "window;  trust  after 
the  storm  it  will  open,  thy  eyes  will  greet  again  the  rays  of 
the  rising  sun;  after  a  lost  world  thou  wilt  find  a  nc\v  and 
brighter  world,  for  God  is  the  hope  and  God  is  the  fulfil- 
ment. 

THE  HAVEN  AND  THE  WHITE  DOVE. 

Now  what  is  our  picture  ?  The  raven,  flying  out  of  the 
open  window  of  the  ark  and  the  dove  bringing  home  the 


—  181  — 

olive  leaf.  The  former  is  the  sad  image  of  him  who  does 
not  profit  by  the  lessons  of  life.  Black  was  the  raven  before 
the  flood  and  black  he  remained  after  the  same.  All  the 
water  of  the  Deluge  could  not  change  his  features  into 
white,  and  his  depravity  into  goodness.  So  on  many  human 
minds  the  purifying  process  of  Divine  visitation  is  lost  on 
them.  They  learn  nothing  and  they  forget  nothing.  They 
never  enjoy  the  sweet  fruit  of  enjoyment  in  faith.  Its  con- 
trast is  the  dove;  a  heart  that  opens  its  chambers  to  the  call 
of  its  Maker,  a  soul  that  goes  forth  cleansed  and  ennobled 
from  the  crucible  of  tribulation;  that  is  the  white  dove, 
bringing  home  in  the  time  of  life's  evening  the  olive  leaf  of 
peace  and  contentment,  of  a  happiness  that,  when  entered 
on  earth,  begins  in  heaven  never  to  end. 


Work  in  Harmony  for  God's  Glory. 

December  16,  1877. 

"  Behold  how  good  and  pleasant  it  is  for  bre- 
thren to  dwell  together  in  unity." 

Psalms,  CIII.,  1. 

IT  is  not  the  custom  of  the  Scriptural  writings  to 
enter  into  philosophical  or  ethical  skirmishes,  where  the 
champions  display  more  brilliancy  than  truth,  and  in  most 
cases  neither  brilliancy  nor  truth.  The  Divine  book  confines 
itself  io  impart  in  a  simple  and  conclusive  way  the  final 
result  of  the  highest  philosophy  and  of  the  purest  ethics 
leaving  it  to  the  sincere  confessor  to  test  their  infallibility  by 
earnest  reflection  and  unreserved  practice.  Such  a  short 
and  comprehensive  sentence  is  conveyed  in  the  words  of  our 
text.  The  verse  is  one  of  the  many  golden  rules  of  the 
Bible.  The  aim  is  to  induce  man  to  acquire  the  highest 
blessing  of  social  life — union  peace  and  harmony !  In  order 
to  attain  this  end  the  inspired  writer  does  not  make  use  of 
dazzling  descriptions  and  ingenious  definitions  which  might 
captivate  the  mind  of  his  readers  ;  he  follows  a  better  and 
surer  method.  The  short  word,  "  Behold !"  which  forms  the 


—  182  — 

beginning  of  his  admonition  is  more  effective  in  bringing  con- 
viction to  the  mind  than  the  choicest  phrases  of  oratory 
could  be.  He  appeals  to  experience  ;  he  challenges  man's 
practical  sense;  look  around  you  and  find  out  whether  it  be 
true  or  not  that  union  is  strength,  that  peace  is  happiness 
and  that  harmony  is  the  beauty  of  social  life !  "While,  however, 
thus  appealing  to  the  practical  sense  the  inspired  teacher 
takes  special  care  not  to  lead  his  reader  into  that  error 
which  is  so  conspicuously  prevailing  nowadays,  namely,  that 
the  worth  of  moral  ideas  depends  upon  "  unity  "  in  the  low- 
er sense  of  selfishness ;  he,  therefore,  cautiously  makes  the 
distinction,  "Behold,  how  good  and  pleasant  it  is,"  he  re- 
commands  concord  and  harmony  among  men  because,  in 
the  first  place,  such  is  the  will  of  the  Heavenly  Father,  to 
see  His  children  on  earth  united  by  the  sacred  tie  of  love 
and  brotherhood,  and  then,  because  it  is  pleasant  and  great- 
ly conductive,  to  enhance  men's  comfort  and  material  wel- 
fare. His  appeal  is  not  directed  to  a  certain  circle  or  class. 
In  applying  the  general  expression,  "Behold,  how  good  and 
pleasant  it  is  for  brethren  to  dwell  in  unity,"  he  makes  his 
sentence  cover  the  vast  ground  of  all  human  relations;  he 
teaches  the  members  belonging  to  one  and  the  same  family 
how  to  sanctify  the  bonds  of  kinsmanship  by  a  true  devotion 
of  heart;  the  members  belonging  to  one  and  the  same  coun- 
try now  to  hallow  the  tie  of  citizenship  by  a  true  brotherly 
feeling  for  those  who  are  their  fellow  citizens,  and  the  mem- 
bers of  the  human  race  in  general  how  to  appreciate  and  to 
honor  in  each  other  that  indelible  mark  of  man's  high 
descent — the  image  of  God. 

AAEON'S  DKOPS  OF  PEAKLS. 

There  is  the  impotent  peace  of  exhaustion,  there  is  the 
cool  and  unproductive  peace  of  indifference  these,  however, 
are  not  recommended  by  the  sacred  song.  We  know  this  by 
the  simile  under  which  the  lauded  harmony  is  represented. 
It  is,  says  our  song,  like  the  precious  ointment  of  the  high 
priest.  Of  this  ointment  the  rabbies  say,  "When  it  was 
poured  on  the  head  of  Aaron  it  ran  down  upon  his  beard 
and  from  thence  to  the  skirts  of  his  garments;  two  drops, 


—  183  — 

however,  settled  upon  his  breast  and  became  shining 
pearls."  In  this  allegory  the  beard  is  the  emblem  of  wis- 
dom, the  garments  are  the  emblem  of  manners  and  the 
whole  means  to  say  that  Aaron  was  known  as  the  high 
priest  by  that  sublime  peace  which  stamps  his  thoughts 
with  true  wisdom  and  his  manners  and  actions  as  the  faith- 
ful expressions  of  genuine  love  and  kindness.  And  what 
were  the  two  shining  pearls?  The  one  was  Urim,  enlighten- 
ment of  spirit;  the  other  was  Tumim,  uprightness  and  sin- 
cerity of  heart. 

Such  should  be  the  peace  reigning  in  all  circles  where 
men  unite;  a  peace  of  love  and  kindness,  a  peace  of  united 
and  harmonious  endeavor  to  promote  enlightenment  and  up- 
rightness of  heart  among  mankind. 

ILLUSTRATION  OF  HARMONY  AND  UNITY. 

I  am  glad  to  state  that  I  witnessed  such  a  reunion  on 
last  Wednesday  at  the  opening  of  the  Ahavath-Chesed  fair. 
Thousands  of  persons  were  assembled  for  the  same  purpose, 
were  inspired  by  the  same  feelings  and  that  the  endeavor 
in  which  they  were  and  are  engaged  is  commendable  and 
praiseworthy,  is  doubted  only  by  few — only  by  those  who  are 
prejudiced  against  church  fairs.  To  discard  such  prejudice 
we  heard  the  statistical  statement  in  the  opening  address 
delivered  by  the  chief  magistrate  of  this  city,  that  the  Israel- 
itish  inhabitants  of  the  capital  in  moral  and  material  re- 
spects rank  among  the  first  and  can  justly  claim  the  respect 
of  their  fellow  citizens.  Now,  if  old  Israel  is  young  in 
strength,  in  moral  and  material  strength,  none  can  be  in 
doubt  about  the  source  of  its  strength.  The  two  pearls 
which  shone  so  brightly  on  the  breast  of  the  high  priest, 
they  are  yet  in  our  possession;  enlightenment  and  upright- 
ness of  heart,  these  pearls  are  formed  of  the  drops  of  holy 
oil,  Divine  law;  its  depository  is  our  sanctuary.  May  we 
never  neglect  it  but  work  in  genuine  peace  for  the  glory  of 
God  and  our  own  salvation. 


—  184  — 

The  Angel  of  the  Lord  at  the  Fountain  of  Faith. 
December  30,  1877, 

"  And  she  called  the  name  of  the  Lord  that 
spoke  unto  her,  'Thon,  God,  seestme'." 
Genesis  XVI.,  13. 

THE  words  of  the  text  belong  to  one  of  the  minor 
incidents  narrated  in  the  Bible.  They  are,  however,  very 
important  in  their  bearing,  inasmuch  as  they  teach  us  to 
comprehend  the  true  tenets  of  religion.  The  incident  re- 
ferred to  may  be  briefly  stated  thus : — Hagar,  the  handmaid 
of  the  patriarch's  wife,  became  overbearing  and  insolent  to- 
ward her  mistress.  Sarah  attempted  to  repress  her  wilful- 
fulness;  the  wild  nature  of  Hagar,  however,  could  not  bear 
such  restraints;  she  left  Abraham's  house  and  fled  to  the 
desert.  There  she  stood,  forsaken  and  forlorn,  by  the  foun- 
tain, on  the  way  to  Shur,  and  there  an  angel  of  the  Lord 
met  here  and  admonished  her  to  return  to  the  patriarchal 
house  and  to  purify  her  heart  by  patience  and  submission, 
at  the  same  time  re  vailing  to  her  the  precious  gift  that^ 
Providence  had  in  store  for  her.  Thus,  brought  to  the  sense 
of  her  duty,  thus  strengthened  and,  comforted  by  the  Divine 
promise,  she  called  the  place  where  she  had  her  sublime 
vision  by  the  significant  name,  "Thou,  God,  seest  me." 

RELIGIOUS   PURITY. 

Man's  inborn  nature  is  like  the  gold  ore  in  a  mine ;  it  is 
so  mixed  with  drosses  that  the  precious  metal  is  scarcely 
recognizable;  religious  education  is  the  crucible  where  the 
slacks  are  removed  and  the  metal  is  brought  to  its  purity. 
As  long  as  man  follows  the  impetus  of  his  unrefined  inborn 
nature,  in  whatever  station  he  may  be,  he  will  be  much 
similar  to  Hagar,  the  handmaid  of  Sarah,  overbearing  and 
insolent  in  affluence,  ruining  himself  by  his  own  wilfulness, 
and  when  distress  comes  he  will  deem  himself  forlorn  and 
forsaken,  and  will  fall  into  despair.  That  such  is  the  drift 
of  the  human  mind  if  unaided  by  a  strong  support  is  not  to 
be  doubted.  Even  the  antagonists  of  religion  admit  willing- 
ly that  man's  faculties  require  a  careful  training  in  order  to 


—  185  - 

become  truly  humane.  The  great  question,  however,  arises, 
what  training  must  be  resorted  to  that  the  desired  end  may 
be  reached  ?  Those  who  adhere  to  the  new  system  advise 
us  to  enlighten  the  mind  of  the  masses,  to  waken  their  moral 
sense,  to  rouse  their  nobler  feelings  by  an  increase  of  know- 
ledge. 

This  sounds  very  well,  and  would  certainly  meet  the  un- 
reserved approval  of  every  well-intentioned  man  if  only  the 
short  clause  were  inserted  into  this  system  that  the  fear  of 
God  is  the  beginning  and  foundation  of  all  knowledge. 
The  exclusion  of  this  one  Biblical  sentence,  however, 
weakens  greatly  the  modern  system,  divests  it  of  all  reality 
and  reduces  it  to  the  level  of  a  mere  Utopian  dream. 
Secular  knowledge  is  a  vast  field,  and  a  rich  harvest  is  to 
be  reaped  on  its  grounds.  It  greatly  conduces  to  refine  our 
moral  faculties  to  ennoble  our  religious  views  as  long  as 
it  keeps  like  a  faithful  child  to  its  loving  mother — religious 
truth.  But  if  knowledge  denies  and  repudiates  religion, 
then  all  the  fruit  that  can  be  gathered  on  its  soil  is  not 
sufficient  to  nourish  the  mind  and  to  satisfy  the  heart 

NECESSITY   OP   RELIGIOUS   EDUCATION. 

Leave  out  the  religious  element  in  the  education  of  your 
children  and  can  you  ever  develop  what  we  call  conscience 
or  moral  sense  in  them  ?  Conscience  grows  on  the  tree  of 
life.  This  tree  is  deeply  rooted  in  the  holy  ground  of  faith. 
Remove  it  from  this  ground  and  stem  and  branches  will  dry 
up  and  die  away.  No  prospect  of  blessed  fruit  will  be  left. 
Teach  them  religion  as  the  cold  subject  for  the  brains  only 
and  not  as  the  cherished  matter  of  the  heart,  and  lo,  you 
give  them  to  drink  out  of  a  vessel  in  which  the  water  is  fro- 
zen, their  thirst  will  never  be  quenched  and  their 
hearts  will  grow  up  as  cold  and  selfish  as  the  potation  you 
offer  them.  The  rich  man,  who  has  been  spoiled  by  his  pos- 
sessions, who  has  grown  unkind,  jjroud  and  overbearing 
through  his  riches — can  you  reform  him  with  your  worldly 
wisdom  ?  Can  you  touch  his  heart  with  your  frosty  reason- 
ings ?  These  reasonings  bred  the  evil  in  his  mind  ;  how 
should  they  cure  it?  Approach  the  sufferer,  who  is  plunged 


—  186  — 

into  the  salt  sea  of  tears  ;  display  before  his  weeping  eyes 
all  the  glitter  of  your  philosophical  frost  flowers.  Will  you 
allay  his  sorrow,  will  you  still  his  grief?  The  cold  hand  of 
disbelief  can  never  administer  the  warm-hearted  gift  of  con- 
consolation  and  comfort  in  sorrow.  At  the  ever  fresh  foun- 
tain of  pure  faith,  there  the  angel  of  the  Lord  meets  the 
stray  Hagar — our  soul — to  teach  her,  to  reprove  her,  to  com- 
fort her  and  to  lead  her  on  to  the  right  goal.  This  angel  leads 
the  child  to  the  strength  of  true  manhood,  guards  the  pros- 
perous against  the  evils  of  prosperity  and  teaches  him  who 
is  in  need  to  utter  with  hope  and  trust  the  words  of  the 
sublime  prayer  : 

This  day  be  bread  and  peace  my  lot ; 
All  else  beneath  the  sun 
Thou  knowest  if  best  bestowed  or  not, 
And  let  Thy  will  be  done ! 

Let  us  follow  the  voice  of  this  angel ;  let  every  one  of 
us  call  the  place  where  he  stands  and  acts  with  the  name, 
"  Thou,  God,  seest  me",  and  every  step  of  ours  will  be  fol- 
lowed by  the  blessing  of  the  Lord. 


God's  Judgments. — Controversy  and  Scripture. 
January  20,  1877. 

"Therefore  I  will  judge  you  O  house  of  Israel, 
e>"fy  cue  according  to  his  -ways,  says  the 
Lord  God.  Repent  and  tarn  yourselves  from 
all  your  transgressions,  bo  iniquity  shall  not 
be  iour  ruin." 

Ezekiel,  XVIII.,  30. 

NEXT  to  the  principle  of  God's  existence,  stands  that  of 
His  knowing  and  judging  the  thoughts  and  actions  of  man- 
kind. To  doubt  this  principle  means,  to  shake  the  founda- 
tion of  the  moral  world,  to  keep  it  alive  and  active  in  man's 
mind  means,  to  strengthen  the  pilgrim  through  life  on  the 
arduous  path  of  virtue  and  to  arm  him  against  the  dangers 
of  temptation. 


—  187  — 

ENCROACHMENTS    ON    RELIGION. 

There  are  on  one  side  the  spirited  champions  of  ma- 
terialism, the  zealous  worshippers  of  the  blind  laws  of 
nature,  who  raise  the  battle  cry  against  the  idea  of  divine 
judgment  and  boldly  declare  it  as  a  mere  imagination 
engendered  by  man's  timidity.  Let  us,  however,  state  here 
that  in  speaking  of  this  action,  we  do  not  include  the  great 
men,  the  earnest  workers  in  the  field  of  natural  science. 
The  time  has  come  when  a  fair  distinction  must  be  made 
between  true  scientist  and  scientific  adventurers.  Men  like 
Vogt,  Yirchow  and  Dubois,  scared  by  the  growing  evil, 
openly  and  firmly  oppose  the  encroachments  perpetrated 
on  the  truths  of  religion  by  the  flying  host  of  half-bred 
would-be  scholars.  We  hope  the  day  is  not  far  distant 
which  all  the  honest  and  conscientious  devotees  of  the 
natural  sciences  will  league  together  to  prevent  that  a 
knowledge  which  is  destined  to  become  so  useful  to  man- 
kind should  by  misapplication  become  so  detrimental  to 
the  highest  interests  of  humanity.  Can  we  not  study 
Nature  without  denying  its  Creator?  Are  the  laws  of 
Nature  not  far  better  comprehensible  if  we  admit  the  ex- 
istence of  a  Supreme  Lawgiver?  We  see  order  in  creation; 
why  not  trace  it  back  to  Him  from  whom  the  leading  idea 
emanates?  We  perceive  spiritual  and  moral  elements  in  our 
kind,  why  not  explain  them  by  an  unreserved  acknowledg- 
ment of  a  highest  source  of  intellect  and  morality.  The 
crucible  of  the  chemist,  the  microscope  of  the  physiologist, 
the  telescope  of  the  astronomer,  have  become  part  and 
parcel  of  our  intellectual  life.  They  are  powerful  agents, 
but  they  can  just  as  little  destroy  the  spiritual  world  as  the 
a  priori  philosophy  of  the  former  centuries  could  explain 
the  material  world.  To  hear,  however,  the  adepts  of  un- 
belief, one  should  think  that  it  ia  impossible  to  understand 
the  difference  between  warm  and  cold,  between  wet  and 
dry,  and  so  on  in  the  list  of  natural  phenomena,  unless  he 
denies  his  God  and  declares  Divine  Providence  and  justice 
as  nivth  and  fable. 


—  188  — 

THE  QUESTION  OF  ETERNAL,  DAMNATION. 

Thus  it  stands  on  the  one  side,  while  those  on  the  other 
side  are  sinning  in  the  opposite  direction;  they  mar  the 
principle  of  God's  justice,  not  by  too  little,  but  by  too 
much;  in  their  mistaken  zeal  they  urge  and  strain  the  idea, 
and  carry  it  beyond  that  boundary  which  separates  pure 
belief  from  superstition  and  truth  from  fancy.  "\Ve  read  in 
the  secular  press  lively  controversies  on  eternal  damnation, 
and  "HelP  has  become  a  burning  question.  It  is  said  of 
some  members  of  the  English  Parliament,  when  gas  was 
for  the  first  time  lit  in  the  House  of  Commons  in  London, 
they  approach  curiously  and  touched  the  pipes  to  feel  how 
hot  they  were,  for  they  could  not  imagine  otherwise  but 
that  from  a  great  reservoir  the  flames  were  running 
through  the  pipes.  Just  as  correct  is  the  opinion  of  those 
theologians  who  endow  Divine  justice  with  that  great  re- 
servoir of  flames,  called  in  the  traditional  language  hell. 
Bring  up  a  child  with  the  idea.  Everything  is  allowed. 
There  is  none  to  apprehend  and  punish  the  wrong.  You 
will  certainly  not  raise  him  to  become  a  useful  man.  Try 
the  extreme;  keep  it  under  constant  fear  of  the  rod;  let  ter- 
ror be  the  educating  element,  and  you  will  not  reach  a 
better  result.  You  will  bring  up  a  knave,  a  clandestine 
coward,  who  will  dread  the  punishment  and  love  the  evil. 
The  only  true  system  is  that  which  is  laid  down  in  the 
Scriptures.  God  is  love  and  God  is  justice.  His  com- 
mandments encourage  His  children  to  do  good.  His  pro- 
hibitions restrain  them,  from  evil,  and  his  punishments  are 
nothing  but  tokens  of  his  love — means  to  recall  the  one  that 
went  astray  to  the  right  path.  Therefore  it  is  that  in  the 
whole  Scriptures  there  is  not  said  one  word  about  a  punish- 
ment beyond  the  grave.  He  who  does  not  learn  from  life 
may  become  terrified  by  what  shall  be  after  his  death,  but  it 
will  hardly  make  him  better  in  the  true  sense  of  the  word.  It 
is  a  remarkable  peculiarity  of  the  language  of  the  Scriptures 
that  there  is  no  special  word  for  "punishment. "  The  same 
word  that  designates  "sin"  is  also  used  for  "punishment.* 
"He  will  be  punished"  is  expressed  in  the  sacred  books 


—  189  — 

with  the  words,  "He  shall  bear  his  iniquity,"  and  indeed  sin 
is  a  heavy  bin-den,  and  the  consciousness  of  having  done 
evil  is  a  punishment  in  itself. 

BLESSINGS. 

Another  peculiarity — The  highest  blessing  is  expressed 
in  the  words,  "The  Lord  lift  up  his  countenance  upon  thee," 
and  the  phrase  for  the  expression  of  Divine  anger  is,  "I  will 
set  my  countenance  against  that  man!"  The  countenance 
of  the  Lord  is  always  the  same;  but  how  differently 
seen  by  him  who  approaches  in  innocence  and  purity,  and 
again,  how  differently  by  him  who  meets  Him  laden  with  the 
burden  of  his  iniquity.  We  may  safely  say  the  Scriptural 
system  of  Divine  punishment  consists  of  two  elements  of 
material  retribution  and  of  the  pangs  of  remorse,  both  in 
this  world;  for  what  is  beyond  this  earthly  life  is  covered 
with  a  veil  not  to  be  lifted  by  human  hand,  not  to  be  pene- 
trated by  human  eye.  If  the  Scripture  keeps  silent  how 
should  man  dare  to  speak?  Enough  for  us  to  know  it  is 
our  Heavenly  Father  who  judges  us;  His  is  the  judgment, 
and  ours  it  is  to  fulfill  His  fatherly  intention,  to  become 
Hia  faithful  children,  with  a  new  heart  and  a  new  spirit. 


Individual  Character  and  National  Morality. 
February  9,  1878. 

"And  the  Lord  spake  tmto  Moseg,  saying 
When  thou  takest.  the  sum  of  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel  after  their  number,  then 
ehall  they  give  every  man  a  ransom  for 
his  soul  unto  the  Lord,  whnn  thou  nnm,- 
berest  them,  "etc. 

Exodus,  XXX.,  12,  etc, 

IT  was  not  lawful  to  take  the  number  of  the  Israelites,  be- 
cause the  Lord's  promise  to  Abraham  was  that  his  posterity 
should  be  as  numerous  as  the  stars  in  the  firmament  and  as 
the  sand  upon  the  sea  shore  for  multitude.  But  this  reason 
is  not  quite  sufficient  for  the  prohibition  to  number.  There 
is  a  deeper  reason  for  it.  According  to  the  will  of  God 
Israel  was  destined  to  represent  a  kingdom  of  priests  and  a 


—  190  — 

holy  nation;  and,  so  far  as  the  community  was  concerned, 
they  have  never  denied  their  holy  vocation.  Even  in  those 
times  which  are  described  as  vicious  and  idolatrous  the 
prophets  witnessed  to  the  respect  for  truth,  though  in  their 
horror  at  the  sins  of  the  people  they  doubtless  portrayed 
some  of  the  national  vices  and  transgressions  more  heinous 
and  blacker  than  they  were.  But,  nevertheless,  we  may 
boldly  declare  that  there  was  no  time  in  history  when  Israel 
did  not  give  witness  of  the  living  truth  of  the  living  God. 
As  a  community  they  bore  faithfuMy  the  message  of  the 
Eternal  through  the  ages.  But  if  we  separate  a  community 
into  its  constituent  parts  we  shall  find  many  gross  individual 
crimes  with  which  the  community  cannot  be  justly  charged, 
and  yet  it  is  seriously  injured  by  them.  For  like  toadstools 
growing  at  the  foot  of  a  tree  individual  vices  cannot  fail  to 
impair  the  public  welfare  and  to  suck  up  many  a  power 
which  else  would  have  subserved  to  promote  the  growth  of 
noble  fruit.  But  these  general  truths  have  a  special  appli- 
cation to  the  Jewish  people.  Time  has  passed  and  many 

PREJUDICES  HAVE  BEEN  REMOVED, 

but  there  is  one  prejudice  so  deeply  rooted  in  the  minds  of 
multitudes  of  non-Israelites  that  neither  time  nor  culture 
seem  to  have  any  influence  or  power  over  it.  I  mean  the 
prejudice  which  always  names  the  religious  denomination 
of  an  Israelite  who,  by  accident  or  design,  gets  himself  on 
the  criminal  list.  Tet  this  religious  designation  of  a  Jewish 
criminal  can  be  taken  as  a  general  acknowledgment  of  the 
divinity  of  our  creed.  Crime  is  so  contrary  to  the  nature  of 
our  religion  that  people  are  astonished  when  they  find  that 
an  adherent  of  and  believer  in  the  old  Sinaitic  revelation 
has  placed  himself  in  antagonism  to  those  principles  of 
justice  and  righteousness  and  truth,  which  constitute  the 
basis  of  this  revelation.  Then  our  non-Jewish  brethren 
proclaim  the  surprising  fact  to  the  world  that  the  criminal 
is  a  Jew.  I  do  not  like  to  accuse  my  fellow  men;  I  would 
rather  justify  them  in  my  heart,  and,  therefore,  I  think  such 
expressions,  with  whatever  design  used. mean  to  say  to  us: — 
''A  man  professing  a  creed  so  pure  and  so  full  of  love  and 


—  191  — 

justice  as  that  imparted  to  Israel  ought  always  to  -walk  in 
the  light  of  the  Eternal,  and  never  should  approach  the 
darkness  of  vice  and  crime."  But  whether  these  utterances 
be  intended  as  homage  toward  our  religion  or  to  express  a 
want  of  kindness  and  brotherhood  toward  our  race,  so 
much  is  true  that  the  moral  deportment  of  the  individual 
has  a  very  decided  influence  upon  the  degree  of  respect  and 
esteem  in  which  Israelites  may  be  held  by  brethren  of  other 
creeds  and  denominations.  Every  man  is  not  a  judge  of 
precious  stones.  We  are  too  apt  to  measure  the  value  of 
the  jewel  which  the  well-dressed  man  wears  in  his  shirt 
front  by  our  impressions  gained  of  his  apparel,  while  the 
man  in  mean  attire,  though  he  may  wear  a  real  diamond  on 
his  breast,  is  adjudged  to  own  a  counterfeit  Our 

RELIGION  IS  THE  PEECTOUS  JEWEL 

which  every  one  bears  about  with  him  and  adorns  or  other- 
wise by  his  daily  life,  whether  in  the  domestic  circle  or  in 
business  relations.  And  the  value  of  our  jewel  will  be 
graded  by  our  neighbors  according  to  our  outward  actions. 
Nowhere  so  much  as  in  Judaism  is  individual  purity  the 
basis,  the  prima  conditio  of  religious  prosperity.  The  Lord 
was  not  satisfied  with  having  Israel  make  the  sanctuary  the 
common  national  institution.  It  was  not  enough  that  the 
whole  people  should  there  be  represented  by  the  tribe  of 
the  priests  as  a  religious  body,  but  each  man  for  him- 
self, whether  rich  or  poor,  was  to  give  a  ransom  for  his 
soul. 

The  Silver  Bill  of  Congress  and  the  Silver  Bill  of 
Scripture. 

March  4,  1878. 

"When  tbou  takesttho  cam  of  the  children 
of  Israel,  of  those  WJQ  are  to  be  numb- 
ered of  them,  then  shall  they  give  every 
man  a  ransom  fur  h;a  soul,  etc." 

Exodus  XXX,  12—13. 

IF  I  am  going  to  speak  to  you  this  morning  on  the  "  half 
shekel"  it  is  not  because  the  Silver  bill  had  been  passed  two 


—  192  — 

days  before  and  become  a  law  over  the  veto  of  the  President, 
but  because  this  Sabbath  is  designated  as  the  "  Sabbath  of 
shekels  "  in  the  old  calendar.  The  pulpit,  however,  might 
claim  the  right  to  speak  a  word  on  this  latest  financial  meas- 
ure, for  the  champion  of  the  bill  in  support  of  his  views 
had  quoted  the  Bible.  He,  for  instance,  alluded  to  the 
transaction  between  the  patriarch  Abraham  and  the  chief- 
tain of  the  Hittites,  Ephron  ;  how  the  former  paid  to  the 
latter  400  shekels  of  silver  ;  but  the  learned  Congressman 
forgot  to  add,  that  "Abraham  weighed  out  to  Ephron  the 
silver."  He  gave  him  a  full,  and  not  a  fictitious  value, 
and  he  gave  him  "  shekels  of  silver  current  with  the  mer- 
chant," which  means  current  not  only  with  the  merchant  of 
Canaan,  but  also  with  him  of  Egypt  and  the  far  India. 

Yet  more  striking  is  another  Scriptural  quotation  in  the 
mouth  of  the  same  member  of  the  Legislature.  He  made 
Ecclesiastes  the  fervent  advocate  of  inflation,  for  in  that  in- 
spired book  we  read,  "  He  that  loveth  silver  shall  not  be  sa- 
tisfied with  silver,"  which  according  to  theologico-financial- 
legislative  commentary,  means,  in  addition  to  silver,  green- 
backs. It  is  greatly  to  be  regretted  that  the  learned  mem- 
ber of  Congress  did  not  read  the  second  half  of  the  verse  he 
quoted — "For  he  that  loveth  it  (silver)  in  abundance  shall 
not  have  any  profit" 

A  PLEA  FOB  HONESTY. 

It  is  tempting  to  enlarge  on  this  subject,  but  it  is  not 
our  proper  province,  and  we  confine  ourselves  to  the  general 
remark  that  the  characteristic  trait  of  the  scriptural  system 
of  finances  is — honesty.  Honest  measure,  honest  weight  and 
payment  of  all  your  obligations.  The  Scripture  makes 
money  not  as  a  detriment  to  name  and  fame  and  character, 
but,  as  our  text  says,  a  ransom  for  the  soul  The  half  shekel 
is  the  oldest  tax  known  in  Israel.  When  the  holy  taber- 
nacle in  the  desert  was  finished,  and  nothing  more  was  mis- 
sing but  the  sockets  on  which  the  sanctuary  was  to  stand 
and  the  books  which  were  to  hold  the  pillars,  then  the  pro- 
phet was  commanded  to  take  the  sum  of  the  children  of  Israel 
and  every  man  from  twenty  years  old  and  above  had  to  give 


—  193  — 

the  tributeunto  the  Lord.  The  rich  were  not  allowed  to 
give  more  and  the  poor  not  to  give  less  than  the  half  of  a 
shekel ;  603,550  half  shekels  were  gathered  in  this  way,  and 
from  this  amount  the  sockets  for  the  sanctuary  and  the  hooks 
for  the  pillars  were  made.  The  sanctuary  did  not  stand  in  need 
of  this  contribution,  for  we  read  when  Moses  issued  the  first 
call  for  means  to  erect  the  holy  dwelling,  the  people  an- 
swered so  liberally  that  there  was  "  enough  and  too  much."  It 
is  evident,  therefore,  that  the  measure  regarding  the  levying 
of  the  half  shekel  was  more  emblematic,  intended  to  serve 
as  the  rich  source  of  important  lessons  to  the  people.  It 
was  to  show  that  every  one  is  bound  to  uphold  according 
to  his  means  the  Lord's  sanctuary.  At  the  same  time  it 
conveyed  the  truth  that  rich  and  poor  are  equal  in  the  eye 
of  their  Maker  ;  the  one  serves  Him  by  using  properly  the 
riches  with  which  God's  mercy  has  blessed  him  ;  the  other 
serves  Him  not  less  by  bearing  with  dignity  and  honesty  the 
poverty  which  an  allwise  Providence  has  laid  upon  him. 

The  half  shekel,  moreover,  proclaims  the  important  fact 
that  the  individual  is  always  a  fractional  part,  reaching  its 
compliment  as  an  integrity  only  in  its  close  connection  with 
society.  So  the  half  shekel  was  to  breed  union,  harmony 
and  brotherly  love  among  the  members  of  the  nation  ;  kum- 
ility  in  the  rich,  and  dignity  in  the  poor,  and  a  common  en- 
deavor to  hold  the  spiritual  gifts  of  God  more  dear  than  all 
the  treasures  in  this  world,  and  so  it  became  deservedly  the 
socket,  the  bearing  fundament  of  the  sanctuary.  With  such 
principles  our  nation  grew  up,  and  it  was  the  spirit  of  these 
principles  which  enabled  our  people  even  after  the  loss  of 
power  and  home,  scattered  over  the  world,  separated  by 
wide  space,  to  remain  a  unit,  to  outlive  all  the  sufferings 
and  to  share  vigorously  in  the  life  of  the  nineteenth  cent- 
ury, as  we  did  thousands  of  years  before.  Undeniable  ex- 
perience teaches  us  that  making  the  spirit  of  the  half  shekel 
the  reigning  principle  is  tending  to  uphold  a  nation  and 
curing  the  evils  of  the  time  better  than  any  silver  bill  can 
do. 


—  194  — 

How  to  Produce  Gladness  of  Heart. 
March  24,  1878. 

"A.  merry  heart  cheereth  up  the  counten- 
ance, but  when  the  heart  feeleth  pain  the 
spirit  is  depressed." 

Proverbs,  XV.,  13. 

THIS  sentence  of  the  "wise  king  states  a  fact  \vhich  can  be 
proved  by  experience.  Genuine  joy  has  an  embellishing 
power;  it  sheds  beams  of  light  which  adorn  with  peculiar 
charms  even  the  homeliest  face;  and  the  second  part  of  our 
sentence  is  also  not  to  be  doubted — namely,  that  the  sorrow 
of  the  heart  exerts  a  depressing  influence  on  man's  spirit  and 
hangs  like  a  leaden  weight  on  the  wings  of  his  activity.  But 
the  aim  of  the  Scriptural  Proverbs  does  not  confine  itself  to 
stating  empirical  truths  as  dry  facts  without  any  further  in- 
tention; the  short,  popular  sayings  collected  in  the  Bible  are 
rather  characteristic  through  the  moral  teaching  they  con- 
vey to  the  mind  of  the  reader. 

Now,  what  can  we  learn  from  the  statement  that  a  merry 
heart  cheereth  up  the  countenance,  and  that  a  sorrowful 
heart  depresses  the  spirit?  Is  it  in  our  own  power  to  enjoin 
gladness  to  dwell  in  our  breast,  or  to  drive  out  sorrow  from 
the  chambers  of  our  heart?  Are  we  not  the  slaves  of  cir- 
cumstances? Do  not  our  feelings  constantly  change  with 
the  rapid  and  chequered  change  of  events  ?  It  is  useless  to 
say  that  we  can  entirely  free  ourselves  from  the  powerful  in- 
fluence of  the  things  that  are  and  happen  around  us. 
Stoicism  developed  to  its  extreme  has  a  deadening  effect 
upon  man's  sentiments;  it  annihilates  sorrow,  just  as  pain  is 
stopped  by  the  killing  of  the  nerve  of  an  aching  tooth;  but 
with  the  sorrow  at  the  same  time  the  perceptibility  of  joy 
freezes  to  death  by  the  icy  breath  of  this  frosty  philosophy. 
Instead  of  calling  to  lif  e  and  growth  the  thousand  promising 
germs  which  nature  has  laid  into  the  human  bosom  it  is  the 
aim  of  this  system  to  extirpate  them  entirely,  and  to  replace 
them  by  the  high  ice  mountains, "  duty,"  floating  on  the  cold 
sea  of  "fatum."  Men  who  live  and  die  with  the  refrain 

Caesar,  now  be  still; 

I  kill'd  not  thee  with  half  so  good  a  will, 


—  195  — 

may  be  good  for  a  tragedy  or  for  a  museum.  Life  requires 
other  men  than  those  grand  marble  statues  whose  features 
are  sculptured  according  to  the  strictest  rules  of  art,  but 
whose  breast  is  stone,  with  no  living  heart  in  it.  Human  life 
in  all  its  branches  requires  human  feeling,  impressible  by  joy 
and  by  sorrow,  accessible  to  praise  and  to  blame,  loving 
virtue  not  with  the  cold  adherence  of  cast  iron,  but  with  the 
living  love  of  a  warm  soul. 

STOICISM  A  FAILURE. 

Stoicism  proved  a  failure;  it  could  not  base  Roman 
society  on  a  solid  foundation;  it  could  not  check,  perhaps  it 
accelerated,  the  fall  of  Rome.  Those  in  our  midst  that  deem 
it  a  great  service  to  their  generation  to  revive  defunct  stoic- 
ism, by  cutting  off  all  the  sources  of  a  warm  religious  life, 
and  by  placing  the  child  of  cold  logic — "  duty " — on  the 
throne  as  the  sole  ruler,  are  greatly  mistaken.  They  may 
perhaps  succeed  to  weaken  the  nobler  feelings  in  the  hearts 
.  of  their  votaries,  but  they  never  will  succeed  to  strengthen 
virtue,  to  make  man  happy  in  his  joys  and  to  give  him  con- 
solation in  his  adversities.  Ths  lifeless  marble  system  of 
unbelief  cannot  effect  this. 

JACOB'S  LADDER. 

The  poor  and  forsaken  wanderer  Jacob  sees  in  his  dream 
the  ladder  which  connects  earth  with  heaven;  on  the  top  of 
this  ladder  he  perceives  the  glory  of  the  Lord ;  he  hears  the 
promising  words  of  Providence,  "I  will  be  with  thee,  and 
will  guard  thee  wherever  thou  goest,"  and  this  vision  fills 
him  with  strength,  courage  and  hope.  This  dream  of  the 
third  patriarch  is  the  reality  of  human  life.  "\Ve  are  and  re- 
main, as  long  as  we  live  on  earth,  subject  to  the  many 
changes  which  time  produces  in  our  worldly  prosperity,  but 
in  the  firm  belief  in  an  all-ruling  Providence  we  possess  a 
counterpoise  against  the  power  of  circumstances. 

HEAVENLY  BEST. 

He  who  leans  with  child-like  confidence  on  his  Heavenly 
Father  will  never  be  enslaved  by  the  haps  and  mishaps  of 
life.  With  his  warm  heart  meeting  joy  and  sorrow,  the  one 
will  fill  him  with  thanks,  the  other  with  hopeful  resignation, 


—  196  — 

for  he  knows  his  Redeemer  liveth,  and  there  is  no  suffering 
so  great  that  we  should  not  find  the  soothing  balm  of  conso- 
lation in  the  Gilead  of  sincere  belief.  Faith  is  the  staff  with 
which  we  can  control  life,  and  it  is  laid  in  our  own  hand 
whether  our  countenance  shall  be  cheered  up  by  a  heart  glad 
in  its  Maker,  or  whether  our  spirits  shall  be  depressed  by  a 
heart  that  causes  its  own  pain  in  straying  away  from  Him 
who  is  eternal  joy. 


The  Evil  and  its  Cure. — Appeal  for  Union. 
April  21,  1878. 

"And  he  said,  I  beseech  thee,  ehow  me 
Thy  glory." 

Exodus  xxxiii,  18 . 

THIS  ardent  desire,  was  only  partly  granted.  The  Divine 
answer  was,  "  I  will  cause  all  my  goodness  to  pass  before  thy 
face  and  I  will  show  mercy  to  whom  I  shall  show  mercy;  and 
he  said,  thou  canst  not  see  my  face,  for  there  shall  no  man 
see  me  and  live."  How  important  is  the  truth,  contained  in 
this  passage  for  the  control  of  our  own  mind.  Human 
reason  with  its  speculations  is  certainly  a  necessary  guide 
for  me,  with  whose  advice  we  cannot  dispense  on  our  path 
to  material  and  spiritual  welfare,  but  in  order  that  we  may 
not  be  misguided  we  must  make  a  careful  distinction  be- 
tween a  healthy  aim  for  knowledge  and  between  morbid 
curiosity.  The  former  leads  the  man  to  his  earnest  investi- 
gations and  useful  discoveries;  the  latter  causes  the  im- 
patient child  to  break  its  toy,  to  examine  the  inside  and  to 
deplore  afterward  this  unreasonable  desire  which  has 
brought  on  the  destruction.  Little  children  break  their 
toys,  and  the  harm  done  by  it  is  childish.  Grown  up 
children,  from  the  same  reason,  destroy  often  the  most 
precious  goods  in  their  possession,  the  peace  of  the  soul,  the 
tranquillity  of  the  heart,  and  the  loss  is  irreparable.  Ample 
provision  has  been  made  by  an  all-wise  Creator  to  satisfy 
man's  desire  to  see  the  glory  of  God,  as  far  as  this  desire  is 
justified  by  its  usefulness  for  man. 


—  197  - 

GOD'S  LOVE  AND  MEKCY. 

Whether  we  turn  our  eyes  to  the  vast  fabric  of  nature  or 
to  the  constant  revelation  of  God's  love  and  mercy  in  our 
daily  life,  everywhere  we  meet  the  evidences  of  God's  glory, 
and  human  reason  is  the  chosen  vehicle  to  bring  them  to  the 
heart.  The  same  kind  Providence  has  also  spanned  the  im- 
penetrable veil,  not  to  be  lifted  by  the  hand  of  a  mortal.  As 
soon  as  our  thirst  for  knowledge  degenerates  into  the  mor- 
bid curiosity  to  know  things  which  are  beyond  human  ken 
we  hear  from  behind  the  eternal  curtain  the  warning  voice, 
"Thou  canst  not  see  my  face,  for  no  man  can  see  me  and 
live."  But  what  with  those  audacious  spirits  that  are  not  to 
be  satisfied  with  the  ordinary  portion  of  knowledge  allotted 
to  man?  "What  with  those  whom  a  powerful  genius  presses 
into  new  paths,  not  trodden  by  a  mortal  foot  before?  Well, 
great  as  they  may  be,  they  are  not  greater  than  the  greatest 
of  the  prophets,  and  even  he  was  not  allowed  to  see  more 
than  human  eye  can  bear.  Wide  is  the  region  of  wisdom 
that  God  has  made  accessible  to  man ;  longer  than  the  earth 
is  its  measure  and  broader  than  the  sea;  it  reaches  up  to  the 
heavens  and  down  to  the  deepest  depth.  Show  me  the  giant 
mind  among  human  beings  that  has  taken  through  posses- 
sion of  this  its  legitimate  region,  and,  if  you  are  able  to  find 
one,  I  will  respectfully  bow  before  him  and  will  tell  him, 
"You  are  far,  but  you  cannot  go  beyond." 

But  what  with  that  portion  of  our  generation  that  is  so 
much  inclined  to  master  God  and  so  little  mindful  to  master 
itself?  I  deplore  the  great  waste  of  faculty  and  genius  which 
could  be  made  serviceable  to  the  true  welfare  of  mankind, 
now  expanding  itself  in  dreams  of  a  feverish  imagination. 
But  where  grows  the  balm  to  cure  this  aching  wound? 

WHAT   IS   THE    CUKE? 

Well,  let  us  inquire  out  of  the  Book  of  the  Lord  and 
read.  At  the  time  of  the  Prophet  Malachi  there  was  a 
generation  somewhat  similar  to  ours.  If  we  read  their 
utterances  as  the  prophet  has  preserved  them  we  should 
think  they  were  copied  from  the  original  wisdom  of  our 
modern  sceptics.  The  pith  of  their  philosophy  was,  it  is  in 


—  198  — 

vain  to  serve  God.  The  prophet  of  course  remonstrated, 
but  as  it  seems,  in  vain.  His  remonstrances  met  theirs ;  his 
answers  new  and  frivolous  responses;  arguments  were  of  no 
avail  Then  came  a  change  for  the  better.  This  change 
was  not  produced  by  the  effect  that  the  prophet's  sermons 
had  on  the  sceptics.  Those  that  do  not  believe  in  God  will 
hardly  believe  in  what  the  prophet  says.  But  his  words 
roused  those  that  thought  better  to  join  in  the  harmonious 
action  for  God's  glory  and  for  the  maintenance  of  His  eter- 
nal truth.  This  league  under  the  name  of  Yireh  Adonai — 
the  God-fearing — the  prophet  greets  as  the  bright  hope  for 
the  future;  then  conversed  the  God-fearing  one  with  the 
other  and  God  listened  and  heard  it;  and  there  was  written 
a  book  of  remembrance  before  Him  for  those  who  feared  the 
Lord  and  respected  His  name,  and  they  shall  be  mine,  said 
the  Lord  of  Hosts. 

This  coalition  saved  Israel  from  indifference  and  disbe- 
lief at  the  time.  Centuries  afterward  it  won  its  victories 
over  the  hosts  of  Antiochus  Epiphanes  and  brought  on  the 
glorious  period  of  the  Maccabees,  and  finally,  when  the  in- 
dependence of  the  nation  was  lost  and  the  land  taken  by  the 
Romans,  it  was  this  coalition  that  made  it  possible  for  the 
Israelites  to  live  even  after  their  political  death.  Judaism 
now  stands  in  need  of  a  strong  and  active  coalition  of  this 
nature.  The  opportunity  is  at  hand.  A  union  of  Hebrew 
congregations  of  America,  is  a  necessity  that  when  fully 
satisfied  will  heal  the  wounds  of  indifference  and  be  instru- 
mental in  spreading  true  and  enlightened  belief;  it  will  re- 
vive the  zeal  and  ardor  for  the  ancient  faith,  that  young  and 
old  shall  be  permitted  to  see  the  glory  of  God. 


Dream  and  Reality.— Joseph's  Lesson  for  Man's  Life. 
May  19,  1878. 

"Bat  the  father  noted  the  matter  in 
his  mind." 

Genesis,  ixrrii,  2. 

JOSEPH,  the  eleventh  son  of  Jacob,  was  designated  by  his 
brothers  as  "the  Man  of  Dreams."    They  gave  him  this  ap- 


—  199  — 

pellation  to  ridicule  him  and  his  visions  of  which  he  had  told 
them.  In  the  eyes  of  his  brothers  he  was  nothing  but  the 
spoiled  pet  of  a  partial  father,  the  spying  talebearer  who 
made  it  his  low  business  to  bring  evil  reports  of  them  to  his 
father;  the  vainglorious  youth,  who  was  clad  in  vanity's 
coat  of  many  colors,  and  therefore  in  his  empty  reveries 
aspired  to  sway  over  his  betters.  Such  an  insinuating, 
calumnious  and  vainglorious  character  deserves  to  be  hated 
and  despised.  But  wras  the  judgement  of  Jacob's  sons  about 
their  brother  correct? 

JOSEPH'S    CHARACTER. 

If  we  consult  the  events  that  followed,  if  we  analyze 
Joseph's  character  throughout  his  subsequent  checkered 
career,  wre  can  find  neither  in  the  days  of  his  misery  nor  in 
those  of  his  prosperity  the  slightest  indication  that  could 
justify  such  severe  sentence  about  his  inner  man.  Take 
from  the  vainglorious  the  coat  of  many  colors  that  chance 
has  spread  over  him,  and  with  his  outward  distinction  all  his 
glory  is  gone.  It  was  just  the  opposite  with  Joseph.  They 
tore  his  father's  gift  of  love  from  his  shoulders;  they  hurled 
him  into  an  abyss  of  misery,  but  in  the  darkest  night  the 
white  garment  of  his  innocence  and  purity  adorned  Mm 
much  more  than  the  envied  coat  of  many  colors  ever  could. 
Was  he  calumnious?  We  see  him  suffer  from  calumny; 
he  is  hopelessly  imprisoned;  one  word,  perhaps  might 
save  him  and  place  his  unscrupulous  accuser  in  his 
cruel  position;  he  does  not  utter  this  word,  he  does 
not  buy  at  this  price  his  liberty;  he  gains  by  his  per- 
sonal merits  his  jailer's  favor;  he  asserts  his  innocence,  but 
the  secret  why  he  had  been  imprisoned  remained  deeply 
buried  in  the  grave  of  his  bosom.  Genuine  love  to  his 
kindred  marks  every  act  of  his  in  the  daya  of  his  prosperity. 
We  see  everywhere  a  development  and  nowhere  a  change  of 
character  in  him;  but  does  not  the  Scripture  expressly  state 
that  he  brought  evil  report  of  his  brothers  unto  hi»  father? 
There  is  a  wide  difference  between  malevolent  tale-bear- 
ing and  the  irrepressible  denouncement  of  revolted  virtue. 
The  young  man  who  was  strong  enough  to  repel  temptation 


—  200  — 

in  its  most  dangerous  shape  with  the  firm  determination 
"How  can  I  do  this  great  evil  and  sin  against  God?"  must 
have  had  a  fine  feeling  for  virtue  and  a  decided  aversion 
against  vicious  habits  from  his  earliest  boyhood,  and  when 
he  saw  an  act  of  his  brother's  conflicting  with  his  pure 
principles  he  could  not  remain  the  quiet  looker  on  who,  by 
his  silence,  makes  himself  an  accomplice  of  the  fault  com- 
mitted. He  rather  laid  the  matter  before  the  venerable 
person  whom  he  regarded  as  the  most  competent  judge  of 
right  and  wrong,  of  good  and  evil  By  informing  his  father 
he  strengthened  his  own  good  principles  and  at  the  same 
time  he  rendered  a  great  service  to  his  brothers. 

JOSEPH    AS   A    MODEL. 

He  was  not  wrong,  but  they  were  so  who  committed 
actions  that  had  to  shun  the  knowledge  of  a  father;  and, 
therefore,  instead  of  blaming  Joseph  in  this  respect,  I 
would  rather  strongly  recommend  him  to  all  my  young 
friends  as  a  model,  from  whom  they  may  learn  not 
to  compromise  with  vice  out  of  morbid  delicacy,  but  to 
be  decided  and  steadfast  in  that  which  they  recognize  as 
good  and  laudable.  The  brothers  envied  and  hated  Joseph. 
Since  Cain  the  bad  always  envies  the  good  one,  but  instead 
of  satisfying  his  envy  by  becoming  good  himself  he  rather 
satisfies  his  hatred  and  aims  to  destroy  him  who  is  good,  as 
if  such  destruction  would  or  could  make  better  him  who  is 
bad.  The  brothers  called  him  the  man  of  dreams.  So  you 
hear  very  often  the  inclination  of  the  human  heart  toward 
God  and  the  godly — the  yearning  of  the  spirit  after  higher 
truth — stigmatized  and  ridiculed  by  the  so-called  practical 
man  of  the  world  as  mere  dream  and  revery.  But  what  is 
Joseph's  dream?  He  and  his  brothers  were  binding  sheaves 
in  the  field,  and  lo !  his  sheave  arose  and  remained  standing 
and  their  sheaves  bowed  low  to  his. 

SIA^'s    FINAL    HABVEST. 

To  harvest  in  the  fruit  is  the  end  and  goal  of  man's 
activity,  and  the  final  harvest  belongs  only  to  him  who  has 
sown  the  sound  seed  of  virtue  and  the  fear  of  God.  But, 
young  man,  how  should  your  noble  dream  become  fulfilled? 


—  201  — 

Behold!  envy  and  hatred  lie  in  wait  for  you,  and  ere  you 
suspect  it  you  shall  fall  their  victim!  Joseph  has  a  second 
dream  as  an  answer  to  all  intimidating  apprehensions.  "Sun 
and  moon  and  stars  bow  down  before  him!"  That  is  as  much 
as  to  say: — He  who  makes  God's  truth  the  lamp  of  his  foot- 
steps must  never  be  discouraged;  the  greater  and  the  lesser 
light  they  must  serve  him,  for  he  walks  with  God.  This  is 
Joseph's  dream.  The  brothers,  in  their  hatred,  say,  "We 
will  see  what  will  become  of  his  dreams."  They  do  away 
with  him,  and  the  dream  has  vanished.  Years  pass  by ;  the 
past  is  nearly  forgotten;  none  remembers  it  but  the  father 
who  noted  the  matter  in  his  mind;  but  finally  the  day  comes 
when  dream  and  dreamer  rise  from  the  dim  mists  of  the 
past  and  appear  before  the  bewildered  look  of  the  brothers. 
His  is  the  victory  and  theirs  is  repentance  and  humiliation. 
His  life  was  reality  and  theirs  was  a  heavy  and  fatal  dream. 


Labor  versus  Capital. 
June  23,  1878. 

"And  when  Jacob  saw  that  there  was  corn  in  Egypt, 
he  said  unto  his  sons,  Why  do  ye  look  at  one  an- 
other 1" 

Genesis  XLII,  1- 

THE  narrative  preceding  the  advent  of  Jacob's  son  into 
Egypt  is  suggestive  in  all  its  phases.  It  is  especially  so  in 
that  part  from  which  our  text  is  taken.  Joseph's  prediction 
was  fulfilled  to  the  word.  The  years  of  plenty  had  come  and 
had  rapidly  passed  away.  The  time  of  prosperity  seems  to 
have  wings,  it  vanishes  ere  we  find  leisure  to  rejoice  in  it. 
Of  the  time  of  adversity,  however,  it  is  said,  "And  like  a  way- 
farer cometh  thy  poverty,"  like  a  weary  wanderer  it  comes 
upon  us  and  is  loath  to  leave  us.  So  the  years  of  famine 
appeared,  and,  like  hungry  guests,  they  devoured  what  the 
better  times  had  prepared.  "Want  spread  over  a  large  ter- 
ritory. It  reached  even  Canaan,  and  knocked  with  its  ske- 
leton fingers  at  the  door  of  the  patriarch's  house.  There 
were  young  and  vigorous  sons,  able  to  defend  their  home 
against  the  unwelcome  visitor.  Long  ago  they  had  taken 


—  202  — 

in  filial  duty  the  load  of  labor  off  the  shoulders  of  the  aged 
father.  "Will  they  not  now  take  upon  themselves  the  care  to 
provide  for  their  household  ?  Will  they  not  hasten  down  to 
Egypt,  where  by  the  wise  foresight  of  the  inspired  ex- 
pounder of  the  King's  dream,  provision  is  to  be  had  suffi- 
cient for  all  the  surrounding  countries  ?  All  the  neighbors 
hasten  to  this  market  to  buy  the  blessed  fruit  ;  only  Jacob's 
sons  tarry.  They  witness  the  want  of  their  beloved  ones  ; 
they  look  at  each  other  inquiringly,  but  they  do  not  stir. 
Spellbound  they  remain  at  the  spot  and  prepare  for  nothing 
else  but — to  perish  silently !  It  was  at  this  juncture  that 
their  father,  well  acquainted  with  their  usual  energy  and 
promptness  in  action,  seeing  them  now  depressed  and  inac- 
tive, asked  in  highest  astonishment,  "  Why  do  ye  look  at 
one  another  ?" 

THB   LESSONS    TO   BE    LEAKXED. 

The  answer  to  this  question  is  of  decisive  importance  to 
every  one  of  us.  It  is  not  expressly  written  in  the  book,  but 
it  is  to  be  gathered  from  the  course  of  the  events.  The  in- 
ner and  the  outer  man  are  in  close  connection  with  each 
other.  The  heart  is  the  motor  of  the  hand.  The  hands  of 
the  patriarch's  sons  were  as  vigorous  as  ever  before,  but 
their  hearts  were  affected  and  diseased,  and  thus  their 
strength  was  lamed  and  broken.  It  was  not  much  to  go 
down  to  Egypt ;  but  years  ago  the  brother  they  sold  so 
vilely  took  the  same  road  with  his  caravan.  On  the  way  to 
Egypt  they  had  to  pass  Euphrat.  Near  there  was  the  grave 
of  KacheL  Will  not  from  the  depth  of  this  grave  rise  the 
mother's  plaintive  voice  and  reproach  them  with  "  Where  is 
my  Joseph;  what  have  you  done  with  my  child '?"  No,  they 
cannot  undertake  this  journey.  And  when  pressed  by  their 
father's  inquiry  they  have  to  do  it,  how  awkward  everything 
goes  with  them.  What  hundreds  of  thousands  accomplish 
easily  and  without  impediment  is  so  difficult  for  them  ;  at 
every  step  they  stumble  over  something  that  is  intangible, 
invisible,  but  real  and  fearful  in  its  enigmatic  reality.  They 
become  so  involved  and  embarassed  that  they  finally  must 
confess,  "Truly  we  are  guilty  concerning  our  brother." 


—  203  — 

HISTORY    REPEATING   ITSELF. 

Iii  applying  this  Scriptural  passage  to  the  course  of  our 
own  time  and  life  we  find  the  historical  fact  reproducing  itself. 
After  the  years  of  plenty  there  are  less  favorable  times.  We  can- 
not say  hopeless  times,  for  they  are  not  such  ;  but  they  are 
times  that  challenge  patience,endurance  and  untiring  activity. 
Many  are  the  sources  that  God's  mercy  has  opened  to  pro- 
vide for  all,  and  if  it  is  not  as  easy  to  acquire  riches  as  in 
former  years  still  we  could  call  it  a  blessed  time  if  we  were 
blessed  in  ourselves.  But  lo !  there  are  heavy  clouds  dark- 
ening the  horizon  of  social  life.  A  whole  class  stands  in  ut- 
ter dissatisfaction  looking  at  one  another  and  turning 
threateningly  against  social  order.  The  battle  cry  is  "Labor 
versus  capital!"  What  is  labor ?  Nothing  else  but  future 
capital.  What  is  capital?  Nothing  else  but  past  labor. 
Strife  between  both  is  insanity  ;  union  and  harmony  be- 
tween them  is  as  natural  as  love  between  brother  and  bro- 
ther. Let  the  motor  of  labor  and  the  motor  of  capital  be 
the  right  heart  and  all  difficulties  will  disappear. 

RESPONSIBILITY    OF    AGITATORS. 

Great,  indeed  is  the  responsibility  of  those  that  shake  in 
blind  boldness  the  foundation  of  social  order  and  try  to  de- 
stroy the  very  pillars  of  human  welfare — the  eternal  truths 
of  religion.  What  is  the  inner  man  without  a  belief  in 
God  ?  and  what  is  the  outer  man  without  the  support  of  a 
firm  conscience  and  a  higher  consciousness  ?  Let  us  inquire. 
Has  the  laborer  improved  since  the  teachings  of  disbelief 
have  become  disseminated  among  the  masses  ?  Is  he  more 
honest,  more  dignified,  more  patient  and  enduring?  No. 
Has  the  atheistic  capitalist  become  more  yielding,  more  lov- 
ing, more  brotherly  toward  his  laboring  fellow  man  ?  No, 
emphatically  no !  Atheism  breeds  selfishness  ;  selfishness  is 
the  slave  of  passion,  and  never  listens  to  the  sublime  reve- 
lations with  which  religion  fills  the  chamber  of  the  heart. 
Where  does  the  modern  solution  of  the  labor  question  lead 
through  and  to?  Through  a  flood  of  blood  to  a  world  of 
chaos.  The  more  each  class  involves  itself  in  selfish  claims 


—  204  — 

and  pretensions  the  more  numerous   the   difficulties,  the 
greater  the  danger  that  threatens  the  peace  of  the  world. 

How  much  soever  the  modern  apostles  may  ridicule  it, 
it  nevertheless  remains  true  that  decrease  in  religion  is  an 
increase  of  human  misery,  and  the  yawning  gulf  between 
capital  and  labor,  is  the  deep  wound  inflicted  upon  human- 
ity by  doubt  and  disbelief  and  lack  of  trust  and  faith  in 
Him  who  is  the  everlasting  blessing  of  mankind.  We  say, 
therefore,  "Why  do  ye  look  to  one  another?"  Open  your 
heart  to  Him  who  is  the  Father  of  all  ;  then  your  strength 
will  increase,  and  the  road  to  happiness  and  prosperity  will 
be  open  for  all." 


A  Cooling  Drink  for  Fainting  Hearts. 
July  14,  1878. 

"As  cold  waters  to  a  thirsty  soul,  so  is  good 
news  from  a  far  country." 

Proverb,  XXV.,  25. 

MAX'S  dearest  possession  is  hope.  When  that  which  we 
hold  most  precious  is  taken  away  from  us,  and  all  the  cords 
of  the  heart  mourn  and  bewail  the  loss,  then  after  a  while 
from  the  most  hidden  recess  of  our  bosom  proceeds  a  low 
but  sweet  whisper  which  silences  the  wild  outbreaks  of 
despair  and  softens  down  the  grief  to  faithful  submission 
and  willingness  of  the  heart  to  be  afflicted.  These  sacred 
sounds,  with  their  soothing  power,  are  the  language  of 
hope  in  the  soul  of  man.  Hope  is  like  a  nurse.  If  she  is 
mercenary  I  would  not  trust  my  soul  to  her  charge ;  if  she  is 
the  true,  devoted  friend  then  she  will  never  break  faith 
toward  her  trusted  nursling. 

MEECEXAKY  A>~D  SPIRITUAL  HOPE. 

Mercenary  hopes  are  the  whimsical  expectations  of  a 
covetous  heart.  They  never  satisfy  and  never  are  to  be  sat- 
isfied; the  more  you  give  them  the  more  they  ask,  and  for- 
ever they  keep  the  minds  of  their  votaries  in  a  morbid  state 
of  suspense.  Genuine  hope  is  the  child  of  faith,  and,  there- 
fore, proves  always  faithful.  It  does  not  make  its  promises 
dependent  on  vague  uncertainties  that  may  and  may  not 


—  205  — 

come  to  pass.  It  relies  on  the  unfailing  wisdom  and  mercy 
of  Providence,  and  therefore  it  never  fails.  Mercenary  hope 
makes  us  impatient,  passionate,  and  thereby  undermines  the 
strength  to  endure  and  causes  the  loss  of  success.  Spiritual 
hope  arms  those  that  enlist  under  her  banner  with  the 
irresistible  weapon  of  resignation;  she  enables  them  to  with- 
stand the  tribulations  of  the  present  and  wait  patiently  and 
quietly  until  the  tempest  is  followed  by  more  genial  weather, 
and  thus  spiritual  hope  is  a  more  reliable  guide  even  to 
material  results. 

GOOD  TIDINGS. 

The  patriarch  Jacob  sends  his  favorite  child  on  a  short 
errand;  he  will  see  him  soon  again.  The  beloved  son,  how- 
ever, never  returns;  all  that  is  left  of  him  is  the  bloody  coat 
which  is  brought  to  the  unhappy  father  with  the  cold  ques- 
tion, Acknowledge  whether  it  be  tffjr  son's  coat  or  not? 
Jacob  mourns  his  son  for  a  long,  long  period.  He  hopes  to 
meet  him  only  in  that  land  where  there  is  no  parting.  He 
abides  patiently  his  time  until  his  Maker  will  call  him. 
Twenty-two  years  have  passed  since  the  terrible  moment 
when  he  exclaimed,  "  I  must  go  down  unto  my  son  mourning 
into  the  grave ;"  and  after  these  many  years  behold,  like 
coldwater  to  a  fainting  soul,  comes  from  a  far  off  country 
the  good  news  to  him:  "Joseph  is  yet  alive,  and  he  is 
Governor  over  all  the  lands  of  Egypt."  His  heart  gave  way 
under  these  tidings,  but  his  spirit  soon  revived.  The  heart 
is  weak  but  the  spirit  is  strong.  Spiritualize  your  hopes  and 
that  will  strengthen  your  hearts  and  will  bring  a  never  fail- 
ing fulfilment  to  your  cleansed  expectations.  In  the  sultry 
hours  of  your  life,  as  in  these  sultry  summer  days,  approach 
with  love  the  eacred  shrine  of  your  sanctuary  and  the  word 
of  the  Lord  will  prove  its  effect  on  you.  As  cold  water  is  to 
a  fainting  soul  so  will  be  the  good  tidings  of  the  spiritual 
region  to  your  minds. 


—  206  — 

The  Redeeming  Angel. 
July  28,  1878. 

"  The  angel  who  redeemed  me  from  all  evil 
bless  the  lads,  and  let  my  name  be  called 
ou  them  and  the  name  of  my  fathers, 
Abraham  and  Isaac,  and  let  them  grow 
into  a  multitude  in  the  midst  of  the 
land." 

Genesis,  XLVIII.,  16. 

A  SUBLIME  and  suggestive  picture  is  offered  to  the  ere  of 
our  mind  in  the  portion  of  the  Scripture  which  we  read 
to-day.  The  gray-headed  patriarch,  after  a  life  of  many 
heavy  trials,  is  about  to  conclude  his  earthly  pilgrimage. 
The  stormy  clouds  that  darkened  the  horizon  of  his  arduous 
career  have  passed  away,  and  a  serene  and  quiet  eve  calls 
him  now  to  that  rest  where  there  is  no  disturbance  more. 
More  than  he  had  ever  dared  to  hope  has  God's  mercy 
granted  to  him.  He  never  expected  to  see  again  the  face  of 
his  beloved  missing  son,  and  now,  not  only  is  he  reunited 
with  him,  but  he  also  sees  his  posterity,  his  grandchildren, 
the  two  sons  of  Joseph,  stand  before  him  to  receive  the 
blessings  of  their  venerable  gfandsire.  At  this  moment, 
probably,  the  various  events  of  his  life  passed  before  his 
memory;  he  admired  and  adored  the  benign  hand  of  Provi- 
dence that  guides  man  sometimes  through  difficult  paths,  but 
always  with  fatherly  love  to  a  happy  end.  The  echo  of 
these  recollections  we  hear  in  the  words  which  he  utters  as 
a  benediction  over  the  heads  of  Ephraim  and  Manasseh — 
"The  angel  who  redeemed  me  from  all  evil  bless  the  lads." 
No  man  can  save  his  beloved  ones  from  the  vicissitudes  of 
l:.fe;  all  he  can  do  is  to  recommend  them  to  the  protection 
of  God's  mercy,  and  to  place  them  under  the  tutorage  of 
that  guardian  angel — trust  in  and  reliance  on  Providence. 

THE  PARENTAL  BLESSDxG. 

These  words  of  the  patriarch  remained  through  millenn- 
iums the  traditional  expression  of  parental  blessing  in  the 
midst  of  our  people.  These  words  of  Jacob  are  the  shining 
mirror  in  which  Jewish  domestic  life  is  reflected  in  all  its 
purity  and  transcendency.  They  contain  the  clew  to  the 


—  207  — 

understanding1  of  that  mysterious  being  so  much  spoken  of 
and  still  so  little  known — the  Wandering  Jew. 

SPIRITUAL  HEROISM  OF  ISRAEL. 

History  has  preserved  and  immortalized  a  limited  number 
of  names  as  the  sacred  memory  of  those  superior  individuals 
who  had  the  moral  courage  to  seal  their  better  conviction 
with  their  life's  blood;  but  of  a  whole  nation  of  martyrs, 
willingly  sacrificing  home  and  house,  life's  comfort  and  life's 
blood  during  a  long  period  of  nearly  two  thousand  years  in 
order  to  sustain  intact  and  unadulterated  their  dearest 
possession — religious  conviction — of  such  spiritual  heroism 
history  knows  but  one  example — Israel. 

Strangers  may  find  it  incomprehensible  how  a  nation, 
small  in  numbers,  scattered  over  the  globe,  deprived  of 
power,  exposed  to  all  the  injuries  of  an  antagonistic  world, 
could  muster  courage  and  strength  enough  to  face  adversi- 
ties, to  withstand  allurements,  to  suffer  and  to  die,  rather 
than  to  give  up  the  inheritance  of  the  fathers — the  truth  in- 
trusted to  their  keeping.  Such  devotion,  however,  appears 
as  a  natural  consequence  to  him  who  makes  himself  familiar 
with  the  true  spirit  of  our  religion  and  with  the  inner  life 
of  our  tribe.  Our  religion,  in  its  nature  and  principles,  is 
eminently  universal.  It  is  the  highest  philosophy  for  the 
learned.  It  is  the  simplest  and  easiest  matter  of  fact  wis- 
dom for  the  ignorant.  The  mighty  and  prosperous  finds  in 
it  the  advice  how  to  become  worthy  of  the  blessings  he 
enjoys;  while  for  the  poor,  the  weak  and  the  sufferer  it  is 
the  firm  support  which  holds  him  upright  even  in  the  most 
depressing  circumstances.  This  equalizing  power  of  our 
faith  was  always  the  strong  bond  which  cemented  the 
different  classes  of  our  people  and  made  them  one  and  indi- 
visible in  their  devotion  to  the  truth  they  confessed.  During 
the  long  centuries  of  persecution  this  bond  of  brotherly 
union  proved  to  them  as  the  angels  who  redeemed  them 
from  all  evil;  the  outcasts  of  the  world  could  stand  their 
terrible  proscription,  for  they  clung  to  each  other  in  the  one 
common  consoling  consciousness,  We  suffer  for  the  same 
sublime  cause!  Thus  the  wanderer  through  the  rough 


—  208  — 

paths  of  life,  to  whom  the  ground  was  an  unyielding  rock, 
and  to  whom  all  human  hearts  were  hard  as  stone,  at  this 
week's  end  entered  the  house  of  his  Heavenly  Father,  met 
there  his  fellow  sufferer,  and  in  common  they  greeted  the 
Sabbath  bride,  the  sweet  day  of  rest,  who  with  mighty  spell 
changed  the  hated  of  the  world  into  the  beloved  and  chosen 
of  God.  Those  that  saw  him  in  dusty  walks  of  life,  but  saw 
him  not  in  his  sanctuary,  in  his  house,  they  knew  him  not. 
When  on  Friday  eve  he  entered  his  humble  abode,  how  he 
forgot  his  grief,  his  troubles,  his  homelessness.  The  poor 
house  in  the  Ghetto  with  its  Sabbath  lights,  with  its  white 
linen  spread  over  the  table,  it  was,  as  by  enchantment 
changed  into  a  palace. 

THE  MEETING  OF  JACOB  AND  JOSEPH. 

On  entering,  the  father  first  solemnly  greeted  "the 
angels  of  peace,  the  angels  of  the  Most  High."  Then  his 
children  approached,  bowed  reverently  their  heads  and 
waited  for  the  blessing,  and  he,  the  father,  the  priest,  raised 
his  hands  over  them  and  uttered  piously  those  venerable 
words,  which  like  an  unfailing  charm  passed  through  the 
long  chain  of  generations,  "The  angel  who  redeemed  me 
from  all  evil  may  bless  these  lads."  The  lads  grew  up  and 
inherited  the  same  sufferings,  but  the  same  strength  and 
courage  and  the  same  devotion  to  the  cause  of  God.  The 
redeeming  angel  is  the  spirit  of  Israel's  history.  It  is  the 
spirit  of  true  religious  training.  This  angel  who  redeemed 
us  from  all  evil,  let  us  never  neglect  him  in  the  bright  days 
of  our  present  prosperity. 


Hypocrisy  and  Corruption. 
Aug.,  4,  1878. 

"Zion  shall  be  redeemed  through  justice  and 
her  converts  through  righteousness." 
Isaiah,  I.,  27. 

THE  ninth  day  of  the  Hebrew  month  Ab,  which  occurs 
on  thursday  next,  is  a  memorial  day,  recalling  to  our  minds 
the  saddest  events  of  Jewish  history.  On  this  day  the 
Babylonian  Nebuchadnezzar  destroyed  the  temple  built  by 


—  209  — 

Solomon,  and  centuries  later  in  the  struggle  for  life  against 
the  Romans  on  the  same  day  the  soldiers  of  Titus  threw  the 
firebrand  into  the  magnificent  second  temple,  which  fell  to 
the  ground,  together  with  the  last  remnant  of  national  in- 
dependence. To  imprint  the  lessons  of  these  disastrous 
occurrences  on  the  minds  of  the  succeeding  generations  the 
synagogue  has  pointed  out  the  first  of  Isaiah's  prophecies 
as  the  portion  for  public  reading  on  the  Sabbath  preceding 
the  "  black  day,"  as  the  9th  of  Ab  is  called  in  the  rabbinical 
writings.  No  better  selection  among  the  sacred  writings 
could  have  been  made  for  such  purpose,  for,  though  this 
prophecy  belongs  to  an  earlier  period — it  having  in  view  the 
destruction  of  the  kingdom  of  Israel  by  Sennacherib,  the 
same  causes  produce  the  same  effects,  and  in  this  chapter 
we  find  precisely  and  minutely  described  the  two  great  evils 
which  like  a  cancer  feed  on  the  health  of  a  commonwealth 
until  the  head  is  sick,  the  heart  is  faint,  and  from  the  sole  of 
the  foot  even  unto  the  head  there  is  no  soundness  more. 
The  one  of  the  evils  the  prophet  names  is  hypocrisy,  the 
other  is  corruption. 

HYPOCRISY   AND    CORRUPTION. 

Hypocrisy  is  most  dangerous,  for  it  approaches  you  un- 
der the  false  face  of  health,  and  so  you  cannot  beware  of 
its  contagious  touch.  Religion  is  the  mantle  of  charity 
which  the  Lord  has  spread  over  the  shortcomings  of  man. 
Its  function,  however,  is  not  to  hive  and  to  privilege  errors 
and  vices.  It  aims  rather  to  uncover,  to  remove  and  to 
cure  them.  It  is  like  the  festive  garments  in  which  the 
angel  of  the  Lord  clothed  the  high  priest  Joshua;  the  filthy 
garments  have  to  be  taken  away  from  under  it.  Only  then 
the  Divine  voice  speaks  approvingly  to  man,  "  Behold,  I 
have  caused  thy  iniquity  to  pass  away  from  thee."  The 
generation,  however,  in  which  the  prophet  lived  regarded 
not  religion  as  the  means  to  cleanse  and  to  purify  their  in- 
nermost being,  so  as  to  make  spirituality  prevail  in  them- 
selves. They  did  not  reject  religion,  but  they  degraded 
and  debased  it  by  using  it,  contrary  to  its  sublime  nature, 
as  a  disguise,  destined  to  show  them  otherwise  before  God 


—  210  — 

and  men  than  they  were  in  their  hearts  and  in  their  souls, 
and  this  false  use  turned  the  means  of  salvation  into  a  means 
of  destruction. 

RELIGION   AND    POLITICS. 

Is  there  a  natural  connection  between  religion  and  poli- 
tics ?  There  is  none  so  far  as  the  form  of  your  religion, 
your  sectarian  confession,  is  concerned,  but  there  is  a  strong 
connection  between  the  moral  you  derive  from  your  faith 
and  your  life  and  action  as  a  citizen.  The  hypocrite  in 
religion  will  hardly  prove  sincere  and  honest  in  any  other 
branch.  Take  the  sanctimonious  churchman,  whose  eye 
soars  with  the  angels  while  his  heart  plots  with  the  devil — 
take  him  and  make  him  a  Judge,  a  Senator  or  anything  that 
is  worth  while  to  run  for  and  run  after,  and  you  will 
find  him  the  same  in  all.  The  false  man  is  the  same  in  re- 
ligious as  in  political  matters;  the  only  difference  is  that  we 
call  his  duplicity  in  the  first  "hypocrisy"  and  in  the  latter 
"  corruption."  Both,  however,  are  twin  sisters,  jointly  work- 
ing for  the  same  unholy  end — the  annihilation  of  individual 
integrity  and  the  destruction  of  the  common  welfare.  And 
so  the  hypocrites  of  the  prophet's  time  were  not  only  the 
destroyers  of  their  sanctuary,  but  also  the  destroyers  of 
their  country  as  corrupt  politicians. 

THE  NINTH   OP   AB   A   MEMORIAL    DAY. 

Taken  in  this  light  the  9th  of  Ab  is  not  only  a  memo- 
rial day  for  Israel,  but  it  offers  its  important  reflections  to 
all  religions  and  to  all  countries.  The  question  is  not  to 
what  religion  you  belong.  The  main  point  is  whether  you 
are  earnest  and  sincere  in  your  faith;  whether  you  strive  to 
realize  the  moral  teachings  of  your  faith  and  to  introduce 
them  honestly  into  your  practical  life.  If  you  do  so,  then 
you  are  the  preserver;  if  not,  then  you  are  the  destroyer  of 
your  sanctuary.  In  politics  the  question  is  not  whether 
you  belong  to  this  or  to  another  party  ?  The  main  point  is 
as  to  whether  you  are  earnest  and  sincere  in  your  political 
convictions;  whether  it  is  the  noble  motive  to  serve  your 
country  which  urges  you  to  action  or  whether  it  is  the  low 
motive  of  selfish  gain  that  guides  you  in  your  thoughts  and 


—  211  — 

deeds.  If  it  be  the  first,  then  you  are  the  true  friend  and 
preserver  of  your  country;  if  it  be  the  latter,  then  you  belong 
to  those  that  hate  their  land  and  destroy  their  own  home. 
The  general  lesson  of  the  9th  of  Ab  to  the  world  at  large  is. 
By  spiritual  and  secular  integrity  make  your  country  the 
beloved  Zion  of  God,  and  let  it  be  redeemed  through  justice 
and  righteousness. 


Dependence  the  Source  of  True  Independence. 
August  18, 1878. 

"  Who  art  thou  that  thou  shouldst  be  afraid 
of  a  mortal  that  must  die,  and  of  a  son 
of  man.  who  will  wither  a,a  the  grass? 
And  thoa  forgettest  the  Lord  thy 
Maker,  who  has  spread  out  the  heavens 
and  laid  the  foundations  of  the  earth. " 
Isaiah  LI,  12,  13. 

GOD  has  spread  out  before  man's  eyes  the  unfailing  doc- 
uments, where  he  can  read  the  evidence  of  the  existence  of 
a  Supreme  Being.  The  planet  on  which  we  live  and  the 
many  orbits  circulating  in  the  infinite  space  speak  of  the 
glory  of  God,  and  pronounce  the  universe  the  work  of  an 
all-wise  and  almighty  Creator.  Besides  this  astounding 
complexity  of  worlds,  however,  there  is  the  microcosm,  man's 
heart,  which  reveals  the  same  truth  to  him  who  turns  con- 
templatively his  look  on  it.  The  Greek  philosopher,  desirous 
to  find  the  true  system  of  life  by  which  man  should  be 
guided,  plunged  into  the  depths  of  the  human  heart,  exam- 
ined carefully  all  its  feelings  in  order  to  make  the  one  most 
dominant  the  foundation  of  his  system.  As  the  result  of  his 
scrutiny  he  found  that  the  love  of  pleasure  keeps  its  hold 
most  tenaciously  on  the  human  heart,  and  is  common  to  all 
the  children  of  Adam.  He  therefore  instituted  a  new  wor- 
ship— the  worship  of  pleasure.  This  philosopher  succeeded 
in  establishing  a  large  school ;  many  were  his  disciples  in 
olden  times,  and  the  number  of  his  followers  in  our  days  is 
legion.  There  are  thousands  among  us  who  deem  the  wor- 
ship of  pleasure  the  most  natural  religion  for  man. 


—  212  — 

PLEASURE   A   DELUSION. 

_  But  pleasure  is  a  fickle  deity ;  it  claims  sacrifices  from 
its  votaries  and  gives  no  recompense.  AYhat  it  promises  is 
dazzling,  what  it  grants  is  poor.  Its  very  nature  is  delusive. 
How  could  it  ever  become  reality  ?  True,  there  is  a  yearn- 
ing in  man's  soul  after  satisfaction  ;  but  this  yearning,  like 
a  treasure  in  the  hand  of  a  spendthrift,  must  not  be  lavished 
and  wasted  in  vain  and  idle  things.  Knowing  that  there  is 
in  our  soul  the  desire  to  become  satisfied,  we  must  go  a  step 
further  and  examine  the  innate  feelings  of  our  heart  in 
order  to  decide  which  of  them  might  aptly  serve  as  a  solid 
basis  of  true  satisfaction.  If  we  do  this  earnestly  and  care- 
fully we  will  soon  find  out  the  true  characteristics  of  man's 
nature.  There  is  one  trait  which  never  leaves  the  human 
heart.  We  are  born  with  the  feeling  of  dependence.  The 
different  periods  of  our  life  are  stamped  with  the  same  feel- 
ing, and  in  our  parting  hour,  if  there  is  left  some  conscious- 
ness for  us,  this  feeling  of  dependence  cornea  in  its  utmost 
strength  upon  us,  and  ebbs  away  only  with  the  last  breath 
of  our  life.  This  feeling  of  dependence  is  the  revelation 
written  on  the  tablets  of  every  human  heart,  that  there  is  a 
Divine  Being  on  whom  we  depend,  and  revealed  religion,  as 
contained  in  the  sacred  writings,  is  nothing  else  but  the  true 
commentary  which  teaches  us  not  to  misunderstand,  but  to 
perceive  correctly  the  sublime  words  that  our  own  nature 
speaks  to  us. 

MUTUAL   DEPENDENCE   AMONG   HITMAN   BEINGS. 

Independence  is  the  watchword  of  our  generation.  It  is 
a  proud  and  noble  word  if  well  understood ;  it  is  an  empty 
sound  if  sought  after  in  a  wrong  direction.  Can  the  child 
be  independent  of  the  parent  that  cares  for  it?  Can  the 
sick  be  independent  of  the  physician  that  heals  him  ?  the 
weak  of  the  strong  that  supports  him?  or  the  poor  of  the 
benevolent  that  shares  his  substance  and  his  goods  with 
him  ?  The  fact  is  there  is  a  mutual  dependence  of  the  parts 
of  human  society  on  each  other,  and  all  of  them  depend  on 
Him  who  is  the  Father  of  all,  the  Universal  Love.  Inde- 
pendence in  the  sense  of  detaching  our  obedience  from  the 


—  213  — 

will  of  Divine  authority  is  fatal  for  man.  It  deprives  us  of 
our  best  and  surest  reliance,  and  throws  us  on  our  own  so 
very  limited  resources.  It  takes  from  us  a  loving  Father,  an 
all-wise  Providence,  and  gives  us  instead  a  thousand  op- 
pressing and  blind  tyrants  in  the  chances  and  circumstances 
to  which  we  become  enslaved.  Such  independence  opens  au 
avenue  to  overbearing  and  violence  in  prosperity,  to  dis- 
couragement and  despair  in  adversity.  It  breeds  fear} 
doubt,  hatred  and  crime,  and  never  gives  satisfaction  to  the 
soul.  On  the  other  hand  a  sincere,  filial  dependence  on 
God's  paternal  care  strengthens  the  heart  and  makes  it  in- 
vincible. It  overcomes  fear  with  courage.  It  lifts  a  man 
high  above  the  ebbing  and  flowing  tide  of  material  changes 
and  makes  the  soul  nestle  in  the  never-changing  bosom  of 
the  Great  Father's  love.  This  dependence  is  the  source  of 
utmost  satisfaction  and  the  root  of  true  and  noble  independ- 
ence. It  keeps  the  heart  clean  and  the  soul  steady.  In  life 
and  death  it  teaches  us  to  exclaim,  with  the  old  Hebrew 
poet : 

My  greatest  glory  is  to  be  the  servant,  thine : 

My  highest  boon  that  thou'rt  the  master,  mine. 

According  to  my  will  thou'rt  the  master  right ; 

According  to  thy  will  make  me  thy  servant  bright 


The  New  Name. 
Sept.  22,  1878. 

"And  nations  shall  see  thy  righteousness, 
and  all  kings  thy  glory,  and  men  shall 
call  tbee  by  a  new  name  which    the 
month  of  the  Lord  shall  pronounce." 
Isaiah  LXII,  2. 

IN  numerous  places  in  the  Scriptures  we  meet  with  as- 
surances made  by  the  Divine  messengers  to  the  people  of 
Israel  that  their  obedience  to  the  laws  of  God  was  to  be 
followed  by  respectful  acknowledgment  and  appreciation 
on  the  part  of  the  rest  of  mankind.  This  fact  is  sufficient 
to  discard  the  erroneous  idea  so  persistently  entertained  by 


—  2U  — 

some  of  the  learned  divines  of  other  denominations,  that  the 
religion  of  the  Hebrews  had  no  other  destination  than  to  be 
and  to  remain  the  house  discipline  of  the  family  in  -which 
it  originated.  There  is  no  clannish  Know  Nothingism 
in  the  spirit  of  the  Mosaic  system.  Those  elements  of 
separation  which  are  to  be  found  in  it,  and  which  intend 
to  set  apart  the  descendants  of  Abraham  from  the  rest  of 
mankind,  were  regarded  for  a  long  time  as  the  essence  of 
the  law  in  fact ;  however,  their  significance  is  but  prepara- 
tory. They  constitute  the  sum  of  outward  signs  by  which 
the  confessors  of  the  truth  were  to  be  known  from  the  great 
majority  that  adhered  to  error.  All  these  distinguishing 
measures  were  highly  conducive  to  enhance  the  morality  of 
the  chosen  tribe,  and  to  show  them  before  the  world  as  the 
bearers  of  pure  and  high  principles — the  main  truth,  how- 
ever, the  teaching  of  the  one  God  and  His  relation  to  the 
universe  in  general  and  to  mankind  in  special — that  was  and 
is  the  faith  of  the  divine  revelation.  In  it  is  nothing  that 
separates  man  from  man ;  it  rather  binds  and  unites  all  hu- 
man beings  into  one  family.  Now,  on  Israel  rests  a  great 
responsibility.  The  life  of  this  people  must  be  so  blameless 
and  so  pure  that  those  who  come  in  contact  with  them  may 
recognize  by  the  fruits  of  good  actions  the  stem  of  the  tree 
of  life. 

WOEK    FOR    A    NEW    NAME. 

It  is  not  the  inherited  name  on  which  this  people  should 
live.  Each  new  generation  should  work  for  a  new  name,  for 
a  name  acquired  by  faithful  activity  in  the  sacred  field  of  re- 
ligion. The  generation  of  the  Arabian  desert  bequeathed 
to  us  the  history  of  the  revelation  on  Sinai ;  the  succeeding 
generations  during  the  existence  of  the  Jewish  common- 
wealth in  Palestine  gave  us  our  prophets  and  teachers,  our 
sanctuary  and  the  worship  at  the  sacred  shrine  of  the  na- 
tion. The  generations  after  the  destruction  of  the  temple 
at  Jerusalem  manifested  their  activity  by  the  great  work 
which  they  accomplished  in  building  up  a  nation  without  a 
land,  and  erecting  a  temple  not  visible  to  the  eye  of  flesh, 
but  visible  to  the  eye  of  the  spirit.  "WTiatever  may  be 


—  215  — 

thought  or  said  about  the  monuments  of  rabbinical  learning 
up  to  the  end  of  the  fifth  century,  so  much  is  sure — this 
learning  preserved  the  existence  of  our  nation  in  the  most 
dangerous  epoch,  and  opened  a  vast  field  for  future  activity; 
it  gave  a  new  impulse  and  imparted  new  life  to  coming 
generations.  As  early  as  Philo,  who  lived  at  the  dawn  of 
our  era,  the  endeavor  was  made  to  combine  religion  and 
philosophy,  which  was  a  pleasant  and  easy  task,  for  what 
true  philosophy  teaches  belongs  to  the  tenets  of  our  religion 
and  is  contained  therein. 

THE   MIDDLE   AGES LIGHT   IN   ISRAEL. 

So  we  see,  after  the  final  conclusion  of  the  Talmud,  rise 
generations  who  shine  in  the  double  light  of  religious  and 
secular  knowledge.  No  man  acquainted  with  the  history  of 
the  Middle  Ages  can  deny  that  in  those  times  of  general 
spiritual  darkness  there  was  light  in  all  the  dwellings  of 
Israel.  Indeed,  the  Jewish  products  of  those  ages  have  be- 
come the  admiration  of  the  learned  men  of  other  nations. 
Their  best  geniuses  were  and  are  drawing  the  waters  of  life 
from  these  sources.  Such  a  past  has  been  handed  down  to 
us  with  the  just  claim  not  only  to  keep  safe  the  sacred  in- 
heritance, but  also  to  add  our  share  toward  increasing  the 
name  and  fame  of  Isreal,  and  to  acquire  that  new  name  which 
shall  spread  its  glories  over  the  splendor  of  our  ancient  faith. 

THE   HOLIDAY   SEASON. 

Now,  what  are  we  doing  in  this  direction?  I  am  sorry 
to  say,  not  much,  but  very  little.  From  the  many  thousands 
of  Jewish  inhabitants  of  this  city  how  many  are  there  that 
belong  as  active  members  to  any  congregation  of  their 
creed?  I  am  afraid  and  ashamed  to  state  the  ratio.  But 
should  not  the  approaching  holy  season  awaken  us  to  a 
better  sense  of  our  duty  ?  Should  not  those  that  stand  far 
from  the  sacred  inheritance  of  the  fathers  step  nearer  and 
take  an  active  part  in  the  interest  of  religion,  which  is.  for 
themselves  of  such  high  interest  in  life  ?  Yes,  acquire  the 
new  name  of  true  sons  and  daughters  of  your  creed,  and 
you  will  meet  the  mercy  of  the  Lord.  Love  Him  as  children 
and  He  will  love  you  as  a  true  father. 


—  216  — 

Creed  and  Deed. 
Dec.  1,  1878. 

'•A  tree  of  life  is  she-(the  Divine  law)  to  those 
that  lay  hold  on  her  ;  and  every  one  that 
firmly  graspeth  her  will  be  made  happy." 
Proverbs,  III,  18. 

The  simile  "tree  of  life,"  used  to  designate  and  to  cha- 
racterize the  Divine  law,  is  taken  from  the  narrative  of  the 
creation.  What  the  tree  of  life  was  in  the  Garden  of  Eden, 
that  the  Divine  law  is  for  mankind.  It  bears  the  fruit  that 
imparts  true  existence  to  man,  and  the  same  as  the  Garden 
of  Eden,  though  created  by  the  Lord  in  perfect  beauty,  needed 
the  efforts  of  Adam  to  till  it  and  to  keep  it,  so  the  law  of  God; 
perfect  as  it  is,  it  needs  man's  spiritual  efforts  in  order  to 
fulfill  the  end  for  which  it  was  intended.  The  question  is, 
What  direction  must  man's  effort  take  in  order  to  make  the 
Divine  prescriptions  efficient  ? 

DUALITY   IN  SCRIPTURE. 

The  whole  contents  of  the  sacred  books  may  be  properly 
divided  into  two  great  continent  parts — the  one  makes  us 
acquainted  with  the  Creator  and  His  attributes  ;  the  other 
regulates  human  life  by  commandments  and  prohibitions. 
Speculative  minds  were  always  more  inclined  to  plunge  into 
deep  contemplation  about  the  essence  of  the  Divine  Being, 
while  practical  men  made  the  practical  part  of  God's  law  the 
preponderant  subject  of  their  study.  This  duality  is  clearly 
perceptible  in  the  vast  amount  of  literature  to  which  the 
Holy  Scriptures  have  given  rise  ;  but  in  the  consciousness 
of  our  people  the  two  parts  have  never  been  separated.  A 
clear  knowledge  of  God  and  a  pure  human  life  were  always 
regarded  as  cause  and  effect ;  the  one  has  to  precede  and 
the  other  must  necessarily  follow.  Is  it  creed  or  deed  that 
brings  salvation  ?  Such  a  question  was  never  asked  within 
the  boundaries  of  the  Jewish  religion. 

CREED   AXD   DEED. 

The  fundamental  principles  of  our  creed  in  the  way  they 
were  transmitted  to  us  show  us  clearly  the  close  and  indis- 
soluble connection  between  creed  and  deed.  These  funda- 


—  217  — 

mental  commandments  were  written  on  two  tablets  of  stone. 
They  were  so  arranged  as  to  have  the  five  commandments 
representing  creed  on  the  one  tablet,  and  the  other  five,  re- 
presenting deed,  on  the  other  tablet,  and  each  two  opposite 
commandments  completed  each  other.  At  the  head  of  the 
one,  "  I  am  the  Lord,  thy  God,"  and  opposite,  "  Thou  shalt 
not  murder."  He  who  truly  acknowledged  his  God  must 
respect  His  image  in  his  fellow  man.  The  second,  "Thou 
shalt  have  no  other  gods,"  and  opposite,  "Thou  shalt 
not  violate  the  sanctity  of  matrimony."  One  who  keeps 
faith  to  the  one  God  whom  he  has  recognized,  and  does 
not  deviate  from  Him,  will  also  keep  the  vow  of  fidelity  to 
the  mate  and  companion  of  his  life;  and,  indeed,  the  people 
relapsed  into  idolatry  were  represented  by  the  prophets  as 
a  spouse  that  broke  her  faith.  The  third,  "  Not  so  utter  the 
name  of  the  Lord  to  a  falsehood,"  and  opposite,  "Thou  shalt 
not  steal."  True  and  just  is  the  Lord,  and  he  who  confes- 
ses Him  in  truth  must  avoid  any  action  that  shuns  the  light 
and  seeks  concealment.  The  fourth,  '•  Remember  the  Sab- 
bath Day  to  keep  it  holy,"  and  opposite,  "Thou  shalt  not 
bear  false  witness  against  thy  neighbor."  A  devoted  cele- 
bration of  the  Sabath  Day  is  the  witness  laid  down  on  our 
part  that  the  Lord  is  the  creator  of  the  universe,  on  whom 
we  rely.  This  witness,  however,  is  not  complete  unless  we 
are  true  and  upright  toward  those  that  are  made  in  the  same 
image  with  us.  The  fifth,  "Honor  thy  father  and  thy  mo- 
ther, has  its  place  among  the  commandments  referring  to 
God  ;  for  according  to  the  Divine  will  the  child  shall  re- 
gard its  parents  as  the  vicegerents  of  God,  and  the  love  and 
honor  due  to  them  must  bear  the  sacred  stamp  of  worship- 
ful devotion.  Opposite  to  this  commandment  we  read, 
"Thou  shalt  not  covet,"  which  is  the  complement  of  the 
foregoing.  A  child  brought  up  by  good  parents,  well  edu- 
cated in  the  principles  of  virtue  and  honesty  and  guarding 
the  parental  teachings  as  the  great  treasure  of  life,  will 
never  harbor  or  nourish  inclinations  and  propensities  which 
will  grow  with  the  growing  man  into  covetousness  and  envy 
— the  promoters  of  so  many  evils. 


—  218  — 

CREED  THE  EOOT,  OUR  DEEDS  THE  BRANCHES. 

We  see  then,  creed  and  deed  inseparably  connected  with 
each  other,  and  if  yon  ask  in  what  relation  they  stand  to 
each  other,  I  say  creed  is  the  root  and  our  deeds  are  the 
branches.  There  is  not  much  use  in  a  root  that  does  not 
produce  a  stem  and  branches  :  faith  without  deed  is  useless 
and  fruitless.  Those,  however,  that  advocate  deeds  and 
nothing  but  deeds,  deeming  faith  as  quite  unnecessary  to  a 
pure  human  life,  remind  me_  of  the  man  who  saw  sweet  fruits 
growing  on  a  beautiful  tree ;  he  wished  to  have  such  a  tree ; 
he  went  and  took  a  stem  and  gathered  branches  and  fasten- 
ed them  to  the  stem,  and  he  fixed  the  whole  fabric  in  the 
ground,  and  so  he  waited  for  fruit ;  but  the  branches  were 
not  the  natural  outgrowth  of  the  stem,  and  the  stem  lacked  the 
nourishing  roots,  and  so  on  the  branches  blossoms  and  fruits 
never  appeared.  Now  to  the  spiritual  plantation  confided  to 
your  care  in  the  proper  wray.  Let  a  pure  and  enlightened 
faith  be  the  root,  and  watch  carefully  that  from  it  may 
spring  forth  a  strong  stem  with  wide  ramifications  of  good 
and  noble  deeds,  so  you  are  sure  to  grasp  firmly  the  "  tree  of 
life "  that  bears  sweet  fruit  for  here  and  hereafter. 


The  Heligion  of  Offerings. 
April  27,  1879. 

''  Offer  unto  Gcd  thanksgiving,  and  pay  unto 
the  most  High  thy  vows." 

Psalms,   I»,   14. 

MANY  pages  of  the  sacred  law,  are  filled  with  prescriptions 
regarding  the  altar  and  the  offerings.  Modern  criticism  is 
very  severe  in  its  judgment  on  this  part  of  the  Scriptures 
and  thence  it  proves  that  the  Divine  book  is  antiquated.  The 
prophets  did  not  wait  for  modern  criticism;  in  their  many 
utterances  they  taught  us  to  appreciate  these  commands 
according  to  their  true  value.  The  outwrard  work  of  bring- 
ing sacrifices  is  without  value  in  itself,  but  there  is  an  array 
of  sublime  ideas  which  if  connected  with  the  outward  work 
makes  the  offering  useful  for  man  and  pleasant  to  God. 


—  219  — 

SELF-LOVE   AND   SELF-DENIAL. 

Why  do  all  religions  begin  with  offerings  ?  The  answer 
lies  more  in  human  nature  than  in  priestly  institutions.  Two 
elements  lead  man  through  life — the  love  to  his  own  self  and 
the  willingness  to  subdue  himself  for  the  sake  of  others. 
Self-love  is  the  moving  power  in  life  ;  self-denial  is  the  re- 
strictive power  which  prevents  the  motion  of  the  former 
from  becoming  destructive.  Self-denial  is  the  inborn  in- 
clination of  the  heart  to  bring  offerings.  This  inclination 
is  the  basis  on  which  man's  most  tender  relations  rest.  Ab- 
stract this  element  from  human  nature,  and  a  deluge  of 
selfishness  will  sweep  away  all  that  is  humane  in  man's  life. 
But  this  inclination  to  subordinate  ourselves  to  the  well- 
being  of  others,  where  does  it  originate  from  ?  It  takes  its 
issue  from  a  certain  sense  of  insufficiency  by  which  we  are 
governed,  and  this  again  is  the  offspring  of  the  latent  con- 
sciousness of  our  dependency  of  a  Being  higher  than  we. 
Thus  the  desire  to  bring  offerings  leads  man  to  religion ; 
and  it  is  but  natural  that  all  religion  should  begin  with 
offerings.  Indeed,  the  most  important  lesson  that  religion 
can  teach  us  consists  in  the  knowledge  how  to  satisfy  our 
heart's  desire,  how  to  bring  worthy  and  acceptable  offerings. 
See  the  youth — he  lays  the  strength  and  vigor  of  the  best 
years  of  his  life  down,  at  the  altars  of  his  idols,  whom  he 
blindly  worships.  How  long  will  it  last?  He-himself  will 
fall  the  sad  victim  of  his  fatal  errors.  See  the  man  and 
woman,  carrying  the  strange  fire  and  offering  at  the  wrong 
shrine.  It  does  not  take  a  prophet  to  predict  that  the  happi- 
ness of  the  family  will  soon  be  undermined  and  that  the 
peace  of  the  house  will  sink,  a  shattered  altar,  into  ruin  and 
destruction. 

SAFETY   UNDER   THE   DIVINE    LAW. 

What  a  safeguard  for  our  present  and  future  welfare  if  we 
abide  faithfully  by  the  wise  regulations  of  the  Divine  law! 
The  order  of  offerings,  as  established  there,  makes  a  whole 
and  a  happy  man.  It  teaches  us  to  lay  the  daily  sacrifice  of 
earnest  endeavor  on  the  altar  of  an  active,  pure  and  devoted 
domestic  life.  It  admonishes  us  to  lay  the  free  will  and 


—  220  — 

peace  offerings  of  deeds  of  love  on  the  altar  of  humanity.  It 
exhorts  us  not  to  cling  to  our  errors  and  shortcomings,  but 
to  bring  our  sin  offerings,  to  atone  by  open  confession  and 
sincere  repentance.  In  enjoining  us  to  bring  the  offerings 
of  our  thanks  it  prevents  us  from  becoming  proud  and  over- 
bearing in  prosperity  and  leads  us  to  the  humble  acknow- 
ledgment that  we  owe  our  successess  to  the  Bestower  of  all 
blessings.  But  there  is  also  the  offering  of  the  poor.  An 
afflicted  heart  resigned  in  the  will  of  God  is  the  sweetest 
offering  before  the  Lord.  Thus  the  Divine  law  teaches  us  to 
reach  true  salvation  by  the  purity  of  our  offerings. 


Religion  a  Source  of  Consolation. 
Aug.,  3,  1879. 

"  The  grass  withereth,  the  flower  fadeth,  but  the 
word  of  our  God  will  stand  forever." 

Isaiah,  xi.,  7. 

RELIGION,  is  intended  as  a  mirror  in  which  human  life  can 
see  its  own  reflex — how  it  is  and  how  it  ought  to  be.  The 
events  presented  by  our  old  religious  records  are  by  no 
means  alien  to  the  individual  history  which  every  one  of  us 
has  to  live  through.  It  requires  but  little  study,  and  we  soon 
perceive  that  the  facts  of  the  past  repeat  themselves  in  our 
own  days  and  that  the  inspired  remarks  of  the  prophets  on 
bygone  times  must  be  of  great  use  for  us  if  we  apply  them 
to  our  own  present.  The  Sabbath  of  mourning  is  succeeded 
by  the  Sabbath  of  consolation  in  the  order  of  the  synagogue; 
the  wailings  of  Jeremiah  are  followed  by  the  sublime  prom- 
ises of  the  second  Isaiah,  and  the  same  is  the  order  of  life. 
Heavy  clouds  hover  over  the  afflicted,  the  tempest  breaks 
loose  and  sweeps  away  all  the  hopes  and  prospects  that 
formed  the  favorite  plantation  of  his  heart.  Lonely  he  sits 
by  the  wayside  and  looks  dolefully  at  the  ruins  of  his 
cherished  prosperity.  He  becomes  despondent,  that  is 
natural;  he  despairs,  that  is  unjustified. 

COMFORT   IN   SORROW. 

In  your  greatest  despondency  there  remains  for  you  a 
source  of  comfort,  of  encouragement  and  hope.  Did  ex- 


—  221  — 

piling  Zion  hope  to  revive?  Was  there  any  prospect  that 
the  deserted  streets  of  Jerusalem  should  ever  again  be 
crowded  by  the  joyous  throngs  of  pilgrims  who  came  there 
to  celebrate  their  festive  days?  The  rose  of  Sharon  had 
fadingly  drooped  her  head.  Will  she  ever  resurrect  to  new 
bloom?  After  seventy  years  of  desolation,  hark,  on  the 
mountain  tops  the  glad  tidings  of  the  God  sent  messenger. 
The  dead  glory  shall  revive,  the  past  splendor  shall  be  more 
refulgent  than  ever  before!  Why  should  not  such  turns 
be  the  indicators  on  the  dial  of  our  own  life  ?  Why  should 
we  not  realize  the  truth  that  all  our  gifts  are  the  embodi- 
ments of  God's  mercy  ?  If  one  or  the  other  of  our  joys  is 
taken  from  us,  should  we  not  hope  and  trust  that  God's  love 
is  by  no  means  at  an  end,  but  that  it  will  shine  in  new  mani- 
festations over  us?  Why  is  it  that  we  are  so  easily  shaken 
by  misfortune  and  overwhelmed  by  adversity?  This  is  be- 
cause we  cling  more  to  the  gift  than  to  the  giver,  more  to 
the  blessings  than  to  Him  who  bestows  it.  Spring  brings  a 
host  of  flowers;  we  admire  and  enjoy  their  beauty.  Fall 
comes  and  we  see  them  wither  away.  We  are  sorry  for  them, 
but  we  know  such  is  the  natural  order  of  things;  we  were 
prepared  for  the  catastrophe,  and,  while  we  regret  to  see 
pass  away  so  soon  what  for  a  short  time  was  our  delight,  we 
at  the  same  time  feel  comforted  and  consoled  by  the  reflec- 
tion that  soon  the  time  will  come  when,  with  the  new  spring, 
a  new  generation  of  flowers  will  rise  and  fill  our  hearts  with 
pleasure  again.  We  know  this  special  rose  may  die,  but  the 
creative  power  which  produces  the  roses  is  forever  alive. 

A   RULE   OF   LIFE. 

Transfer  this  idea  into  your  life,  make  it  your  guide 
through  the  checkered  path  of  your  existence,  and  you  will 
find  yourself  another  man,  stronger,  more  courageous  and 
more  steadfast  in  the  face  of  all  the  changes  to  which  your 
prosperity  is  subject.  Enjoy  your  material  gifts  as  God 
grants  them  to  you,  but  do  not  believe  in  their  stability,  and 
do  not  fasten  your  heart  to  closely  on  them.  Be  always 
prepared  for  the  change,  not  in  a  timid,  but  in  a  principled 
and  resigned  way,  which  by  no  means  spoils  but  rather 


—  222  — 

purifies  your  joy  in  what  you  possess.  And  when  the 
change  comes,  when  your  heart  aciies  under  its  heavy 
losses,  then  raise  your  mind  above  your  loss,  be  greater  than 
your  misfortune ;  say,  'The  gift  is  lost,  but  the  Giver  liveth.' 
Trust  in  Him  who  is  the  creative  power  of  your  joys  and  the 
hope  of  a  new  spring  will  not  forsake  you  even  in  the  darkest 
time  of  your  life.  '  The  grass  withereth,  the  flower  fadeth, 
but  the  word  of  our  God  will  stand  forever." 


True  Self-Knowledge. 
Aug.  10,  1879. 

"For  with  Thee  is  the  source  of  lii'e;  in 
Thy  light  we  shall  see  light." 

Psalm  XXXVI.,  10. 

"KNOW  thyself"  was  the  remarkable  epigraph  in  the  old 
heathen  temple,  and  the  same  short  sentence  comprises  the 
contents  of  all  the  teachings  and  admonitions  directed  by 
the  Divine  word  to  man.  There  is,  however,  a  great  differ- 
ence between  the  enigmatical  Greek  utterance  and  the  clear 
definition  of  the  Scriptures.  It  is,  indeed,  the  greatest  art 
for  man  to  know  himself,  not  only  because  self-love  blinds 
his  eyes  and  bribes  his  judgment,  but  because  it  is  very 
difficult  to  decide  wherein  properly  man's  self  consists. 

MANY  MEN  OF  MANY  MINDS. 

The  epicurean,  in  catering  for  his  bodily  pleasures,  pro- 
fesses to  have  the  truest  knowledge  of  human  nature.  The 
adept  of  Pluto  will  look  upon  all  those  of  his  kind  who  do 
not  hunt  exclusively  after  riches  as  mistaken  in  regard  to 
man's  aim  and  scope.  The  scientist  regards  the  bones,  liga- 
ments and  muscles  of  man's  body  as  his  essential  self;  the 
musician  seeks  for  it  in  the  ear;  the  painter  in  the  eye;  the 
tailor  and  the  undertaker  measure  it  by  inches.  Little  you 
help  the  stray  wanderer  if  you  tell  him,  "find  the  correct 
way."  Show  him  the  right  direction,  then  you  are  of  true 
service  to  him.  Sublime  as  the  heathen  "Know  thyself" 
may  sound,  it  leaves  us  in  our  embarassments,  nay,  it  sancti- 
fies our  errors  and  shortcomings,  for  we  all  regard  them  as 
the  emanations  of  our  genuine  self.  By  doing  something 


—  223    - 

that  ought  to  have  been  done  otherwise,  we  generally  use 
the  phrase  "I  could  not  help  it,"  which  means  to  say:  "If 
you  knew  me  as  I  know  my  own  self  you  would  realize  that 
my  very  self  forced  me  to  act  as  I  did,  even  if  it  was 
wrong."  The  sacred  book  does  not  indulge  in  oraculous 
sayings  which  are  apt  to  mislead  its  followers.  It  introduces 
man  as  made  in  the  image  of  G-od  and.  in  doing  so  it  states 
unmistakably  wherein  the  essence  of  man  consists.  His 
reason  is  pointed  out  as  his  self. 

THE  SPIEITUAL  PAKT  OF  MAN  PEEDOMINANT. 

The  spiritual  part  must  be  forever  preponderant  with 
him.  Wealth,  pleasure,  the  body  with  all  its  organs,  the 
cradle  and  the  coffin  and  all  that  lies  between  must  be  made 
subservient  to  his  full  spiritual  development.  The  depend- 
ency of  the  human  spirit  on  the  spirit  of  his  Creator  leaves 
no  doubt  how  true  human  development  must  be  effected. 
Live  for  the  gratification  of  your  lower  appetites,  make  your 
corporeal  part  the  essence  of  your  existence,  and  instead  of 
advancement  you  will  experience  decay;  death  lurks  behind 
the  mask  of  life.  Strive,  however,  to  ennoble  your  mind, 
make  the  necessaries  of  the  soul  predominant  over  the  vain 
desires  of  a  misguided  heart  and  you  will  find  out  that  man 
can  add  many  an  inch  to  his  spiritual  growth;  that  onward 
leads  the  way  for  him  who  is  truly  wise,  and  that  death  is 
but  the  wide  portal  through  which  the  human  soul  enters 
the  blessed  realms  of  eternal  life.  Yes,  "Know  thyself" 
must  be  our  motto  on  earth,  but  in  that  pure  sense  which 
Divine  wisdom  lends  to  this  word.  "We  must  know  that 
"with  God  is  the  source  of  our  life;  in  His  light  shall  we 
see  light" 

True  Progress. 
Aug.  17,  1879. 

"For  not  in  haste  shall  ye  go  out,  etc." 

Isaiah  LII,  12, 

THE  Latin  festina  lente  has  nearly  in  all  advanced  lan- 
guages its  proverbial  equivalent.  The  English  says,  ''The 
more  haste  the  less  speed,"  and  the  prophetical  phrase  of 


—  224  — 

our  text,  "For  not  in  haste  shall  ye  go  out  and  not  in  flight 
shall  ye  advance,"  apart  from  its  special  meaning  in  this  pro- 
phecy, we  can  take  it  as  the  Hebrew  expression  for  that  ge- 
neral empirical  truth  that  too  hasty  a  movement  in  any 
sphere  is  more  apt  to  bring  harm  than  gain.  Our  age  bears 
undoubtedly  the  character  of  pronounced  advance.  Whether 
many  of  our  boasted  inventions  have  not  been  known  to  ge- 
nerations of  the  hoary  past  cannot  be  determined.  Alexan- 
der the  Great  is  said  to  have  seen  an  inscription  of  an  As- 
syrian queen,  which  at  its  conclusion,  reads  thus : — "I  made 
roads  with  iron  over  difficult  rocks.  My  chariots  have  rolled 
over  roads  where  wild  beasts  found  no  path."  If  this  in- 
scription was  really  read — and  we  have  no  reason  to  doubt 
it — then  the  idea  to  lay  iron  railways  was  practically  carried 
out  in  the  sixteenth  century  before  the  beginning  of  our 
era.  But  be  this  howsoever  it  may,  it  is  not  to  be  disputed 
that  in  knowledge  and  application  of  the  forces  of  nature 
our  century  is  unsurpassed  by  all  its  predecessors. 

DAGGER  OF  TOO  MUCH  HASTE. 

One  thing,  however,  is  seriously  to  be  apprehended  in 
our  onward  march.  The  overspeed  in  which  we  indulge 
makes  it  more  an  exhaustive  race,  which  will  have  soon  to 
come  to  a  stand  still.  Machines  are  the  pride  of  our  age, 
and  they  are  justly  so,  as  far  as  they  tend  to  benefit  man- 
kind. But  in  our  haste  to  outdo  one  another  we  forget  that 
human  labor  is  at  present  and  will  ever  be  a  most  important 
factor  in  the  social  order.  Work  that  has  been  done  in 
months  is  now  done  in  one  day;  but  depreciated  human  la- 
bor stares  dissatisfied  at  your  monstrous  machines  and  asks 
grumblingly,  "You  have  swallowed  the  workman's  hands, 
what  shall  he  do  with  his  mouth  ?"  The  socialistic  question 
was  never  so  acute  and  pungent  as  at  present.  Can  we  not 
bridle  a  course  which  evidently  leads  to  an  abyss  ?  Can  no 
calculation  be  set  down  how  far  the  blessing  goes  and  to 
where  the  curse  begins? 

LEGISLATIVE  ACTION. 

If  I  were  in  the  Legislature — I  do  not  say  that  with  re- 
ference to  the  next  fall  elections  ;  I  decline  beforehand  any 


—  225  — 

nomination — I  would  propose  a  law  laying  heavy  taxes  on 
machines  exceeding  a  certain  ratio  of  power,  and  the  income 
thus  derived  I  would  have  devoted  to  help  along  the  honest 
workingmen  to  settle  themselves  in  agricultural  pursuits. 
That  might,  perhaps,  counterbalance  the  evil  consequences 
of  our  over  haste  in  this  respect.  Our  generation  claims  to 
be  ahead  of  all  former  times,  not  only  in  material  affairs,  but 
also  in  spiritual  cognitions,  and  to  a  certain  degree  we  must 
acknowledge  this  claim  as  just.  We  manufacture  progress 
by  steam,  but  in  our  haste  we  forget  that  dependency  on  a 
Supreme  Being  was,  is  and  will  be  at  all  times  the  essential 
feature  of  the  human  soul.  Progress  is  a  sublime  word. 
But  cannot  a  calculation  be  set  down  how  far  the  blessing 
goes  and  where  the  evil  begins  ?  Certainly  it  can.  I  would 
say  to  all  those  progressists  beyond  measure,  first  be  done 
with  man  and  then  begin  with  God;  lead  onward  to  the  hu- 
man heart  and  mind;  purify  the  recesses  of  the  soul;  remove 
envy,  hatred,  narrow  mindedness  and  all  the  shortcomings 
that  disfigure  the  noble  type  of  manhood.  Go  patiently  step 
by  step  the  arduous  path  which  leads  to  human  perfection. 
When  that  goal  is  reached  then  you  too  may  begin  to  ques- 
tion God  and  His  authority.  Having  reached  such  a  height 
I  am  certain  you  will  not  displace  the  Supreme  Being;  you 
will  feel  happy  to  have  and  to  know  your  Heavenly  Father  ; 
with  a  pure  heart  and  a  pure  soul  you  will  bow  down  before 
your  Maker  and  in  your  humility  you  will  find  your  nobility. 
No  progress  without  Him.  "For  before  you  goeth  the  Lord, 
and  your  rereward  is  the  God  of  Israel." 


Religion  the  Sun  in  the  Constellation  of  Ideas. 

Aug.  24,  1879. 

"And  I  have  placed  my  words  in  thy  monthf 
and  with  the  shadow  of  my  baud  etc." 
Isaiah,  LI.,  1-16. 

MANY  in  our  time  are  accustomed  to  look  upon  religion 
as  upon  a  coin  that  is  interesting  as  an  antiquity  but  has 
ceased  to  be  current  in  the  market,  and  therefore  all  religious 
ideas  are  received  by  them  with  a  superior  sceptical  smile, 


—  226  — 

as  if  to  say,  Benighted  visionary,  what  shall  we  do  with  your 
midnight  dreams  in  broad  daylight?  In  truth,  however, 
religion  is  the  stamp  which  the  Creator  has  imprinted  upon 
the  human  soul  It  will  never  change  and  never  lose  its 
value.  It  will  forever  remain  the  means  to  procure  what 
is  most  necessary  for  us  in  life,  and  it  is  the  only  genu- 
ine coin  with  which  we  have  to  pay  the  Charon  who  is 
to  convey  us  from  this  side  of  life  to  the  blessed  shores  of 
eternity.  lieligion  is  not  a  dream;  it  i.s  rather  the  true 
interpretation  of  life's  quaint  dream.  Man,  with  all  that 
passes  in  and  around  him,  remains  an  unsolved  riddle,  un- 
less the  solution  is  sought  in  that  sublime  system  called 
religion.  We  are  not  at  a  loss  to  state  clearly  what  religion 
wants  to  make  of  you,  and  what  it  expects  you  to  make  of  it; 
but  you  must  be  at  an  utter  loss  how  to  get  along  in  life 
without  it.  As  long  as  you  are  sailing  on  the  still  waters  of 
pleasure,  and  your  affairs  glide  on  smoothly  you  may  be 
deceived  about  the  treacherous  nature  of  the  element  to 
which  you  trust,  and  may  flatter  yourself  that  you  are  strong 
and  skilful  enough  to  steer  your  vessel  all  by  yourself.  But 
when  the  storm  rises,  when  an  obstinate  gale  drives  you 
toward  the  sharp  edged  reefs  which  threaten  to  crack  and  to 
sink  your  nutshell  of  a  bark  then,  in  your  hopeless  struggle, 
what  can  be  more  welcome  to  your  soul  than  the  heavenly 
message,  "I  am  the  Lord  thy  God,  who  stirreth  up  the  sea 
that  its  waves  roar.  And  I  have  placed  my  words  in  thy 
mouth,  and  with  the  shadow  of  my  hand  I  cover  thee." 
Such  message  is  calming  and  reassuring.  It  increases  the 
human  strength  to  resist  until  the  storm  will  have  subsided 
and  the  victory  shall  be  won.  Yes,  if  the  only  function  of 
religion  were  to  curb  and  to  repress  the  pride  and  over- 
bearing of  the  powerful  and  to  lend  the  staff  of  encourage- 
ment and  comfort  to  those  that  are  weary  and  suffering, 
this  one  missive  alone  would  be  sufficient  to  make  faith  the 
most  beneficent  agent  of  mankind. 

THE  WIDE  SCOPE  OF  RELIGION. 

But  religion  does  more,  and  you  must  examine  its  widest 
scope   in   order  to  be   able   fully  to  appreciate  its  value. 


—  227  — 

Religion  gives  to  man  a  God.  It  leads  him  to  the  fountain- 
head  of  lore  and  mercy;  it  shows  him  the  focus  where  all 
the  luminous  rays  of  whatsoever  is  good  and  noble  concen- 
trate themselves.  It  speaks  to  the  mortal: — Strive  to  be  the 
image  of  the  Eternal;  go  after  Him  in  purity  and  holiness; 
be  to  your  fellow  men  what  you  expect  him  to  be  to  you; 
sanctify  your  mind  in  virtue,  love  and  mercy,  and  you  are 
sure  to  be  acceptable  to  your  Heavenly  Father.  Can  there 
be  a  wiser  teacher  or  more  useful  teaching  for  man  ?  \Vide 
as  the  world  of  ideas  is,  and  shining  as  the  great  thoughts 
of  man  may  be,  they  are  all  like  the  little  stars  whoso  light 
vanishes  before  the  all-conquering  light  of  the  one  great 
star  that  rules  the  day.  The  religious  idea  will  forever  take 
the  place  of  the  sun  in  the  constellation  of  great  and  useful 
ideas.  Religion  aims  to  make  of  you  true  men — children  of 
God.  And  what  shall  you  make  of  religion  ?  Let  it  be- 
come in  your  hand  a  tool,  a  blessed  tool  to  plant  heaven  and 
to  lay  the  foundations  of  the  earth.  Tour  earthly  life  lacks 
its  true  foundation  as  long  as  it  lacks  an  infusion  of  the 
spirit  from  on  high.  Never  forget  that  the  earth  must  not 
fill  your  entire  heart.  Make  room  in  it  that  heaven  may  be 
planted  there,  and  if  you  want  to  follow  the  right  track  in 
educating  your  progeny  take  your  child's  hand  and  lay  it  on 
his  heart  and  ask  him,  "  What  do  you  feel  here  ?"  You  are 
sure  to  receive  the  answer,  "Love  for  my  father  and  mother!" 
Point  you  then  upward  and  say  to  your  child,  ""Well,  there 
is  One  above  who  is  mine  and  your  Heavenly  Father;  Him 
we  must  love;  in  Him  we  must  live."  Rest  assured  the  child 
will  love  dearly  the  God  whom  the  father  adores  sincerely. 
Thus  you  plant  heaven;  thus  you  lay  the  true  foundation  to 
your  own  and  to  your  child's  future  happiness.  May  the  sea 
stir,  may  its  billows  roar,  you  will  feel  safe  under  the 
protection  of  that  Almighty  hand  that  forever  holds  the 
universe. 


—  228  — 

The  Lessons  of  Country  Life 
August  31,  1879. 

"In  pastures  ot  tender  grass  he  causes  me 
to  lie  down  ;  beside  still  w_tcrs  lie  leads 
me." 

Psalms  T-riii,  21 

IN  -welcoming  you  home  from  your  various  summer  re- 
treats, I  propose  to  speak  to-day  of  the  lessons  which  are  to 
be  derived  from  the  temporary  rural  life  you  have  enjoyed 
for  the  last  weeks  or  months.  Inquisitive  as  we  generally 
are,  I  have  sought  after  the  reason  of  that  great  exodus  that 
takes  place  in  our  city  as  soon  as  the  sun  greets  warmly  the 
memorial  day  of  American  independence.  Is  it  the  sight  of 
nature  in  its  summer  glory  which  lures  away  so  many  from 
their  home  comforts  ?  But  this  pleasure  can  be  better  pro- 
cured by  short  and  frequent  excursions  to  various  chosen 
points.  Is  it  the  city  air  which  they  dread  ?  In  spite  of  our 
Street  Commissioners  our  Gotham  in  its  watery  embrace  en- 
joys a  better  and  a  healthier  atmosphere  than  perhaps  any 
other  metropolis  in  the  world.  Is  it  the  greater  comfort 
which  makes  our  summer  pilgrims  so  eager  to  change  their 
city  abode  for  the  country  hotel  or  cottage  ?  Most  of  our 
rusticating  brothers  and  sisters,  in  describing  with  glowing 
colors  the  charms  of  country  life,  become  cooler  and  more 
melancholy  when  they  reach  the  prosaic  but  very  important 
chapter  of  lodging  and  board. 

THE    MAGIC    POWER   OF   COTHSTKY    LITE. 

We  will  try  to  explain  the  magic  power  of  country  life. 
In  the  run  of  the  year,  as  day  by  day  glides  slowly  on,  the 
regularity  of  our  occupation,  the  sameness  of  our  domestic 
scenes  and  occurrences,  engender  a  certain  feeling  of  indif- 
ference in  our  mind.  Our  home,  with  its  joys,  is  a  dear 
habit  to  us,  but  unluckily  the  companion  of  habit  is  gene- 
rally thoughtlessness,  and  thus  we  neglect  the  due  appreci- 
ation of  our  blessed  gifts;  enjoying  domestic  happiness  as  a 
habit,  we  forget  very  often  to  be  happy  in  its  enjoyment. 
Thus  the  atmosphere  of  our  household  grows  oppressive,  the 
heart  longs  for  rejuvenation,  and  the  desire,  "Let  us  have  a 


—  229  — 

change,"  is  so  very  natural.  See  now  the  permanent  habi- 
tation deserted,  the  habitual  routine  of  life  radically  changed. 
The  husband,  a  father,  has  to  make  a  journey  in  order  to 
join  his  beloved  ones.  How  impatiently  he  awaits  the  close 
of  the  business  hour.  How  anxiously  they  expect  the  mo- 
ment of  hia  arrival.  What  a  joy,  when  after  a  day's  absence 
they  happily  meet  again.  This  is  not  habit ;  this  is  happi- 
ness. The  mother  has  her  children  there  under  her  imme- 
diate care ;  they  are  the  main  objects  of  her  tender  atten- 
tion ;  she  watches  their  amusements,  shares  their  plays ; 
mother  and  children  are  now  nearer  to  each  other  than  the 
rest  of  the  year,  and  they  love  each  other  dearer  than  ever 
before.  They  feel  the  desire  to  be  happy,  and  they  are  so. 
The  chill  of  city  life  is  replaced  by  warm  heartiness ;  op- 
pressive luxuries  give  way  to  the  simplicity  of  nature,  and 
from  the  unbiassed  heart  jets  forth  the  limpid  waves  of  pure 

joys- 
Country  life  has  its  great  morals.     Apply  its  lessons,  and 

they  will  enable  you  to  make  the  pleasant  summer  season 
permanent  in  your  house.  Let  the  husband  and  father, 
whatever  his  occupation,  regard  his  daily  work  as  the  means 
and  not  as  the  end;  let  him,  however,  consider  his  home  as 
the  blessed  spot  where  his  dearest  hopes  find  their  fulfil- 
ment, and  he  will  realize  how  little  is  needed  to  be  truly 
happy.  Let  the  wife  and  mother  share  her  time  between 
expecting  her  husband  and  watching  her  children;  that  will 
keep  her  forever  young  and  charming.  Let  the  children 
cling  to  their  parents  in  love  and  obedience  ;  that  will  lead 
them  from  a  pleasant  spring  to  a  fruitful  summer  and 
blessed  winter  in  their  life.  Do  not  make  yourselves  the 
slaves  of  burdensome  luxuries ;  simplicity  is  the  mother  of 
contentment.  Have  the  earnest  desire  to  be  happy,  and 
you  will  be  so.  I  know  what  objection  some  will  make  to 
our  system.  Our  city  life  keeps  us  BO  far  from  nature  that 
it  is  natural  for  us  to  lose  the  taste  for  simplicity.  The 
country  joys  will  soon  be  a  faint  remembrance  with  us,  and 
we  will  go  our  old  ways  as  heretofore.  Here  we  are  at  the 
point.  Let  me  remind  you  of  a  very  important  thing.  In 


—  230  — 

the  midst  of  the  sultry  atmosphere  of  this  large  city  God's 
mercy  has  by  no  means  forgotten  to  provide  for  you  the 
glorious  plantation,  where  you  can  breathe  a  purer  air, 
where  you  can  admire  nature  in  its  highest  sublimity.  Like 
streamlets  that  spread  forth,  like  gardens  by  the  river's 
side,  so  the  wise  and  mild  teachings  of  religion  invite  you 
to  come  to  refresh  your  heart  and  to  invigorate  your  soul. 
Religion  is  man's  higher  nature ;  keep  to  it  and  you  will 
safely  evade  all  the  temptations  that  threateo  to  mar  your 
welfare  here  and  hereafter. 


Israel  and  the  German  Persecutions. 
January  4,  1880. 

"But  the  work  of  the  covenant  of  the  Lord  and 
Moses  did  not  move  out  of  the  camp." 

Numbers,  xiv.,  44. 

THE  narrative  about  the  spies  sent  by  the  Israelites  in 
the  desert  to  investigate  the  condition  of  the  promised  land 
and  its  inhabitants  is  not  only  important  on  account  of  the 
effect  this  event  had  on  the  fate  of  the  generation  that  lived 
and  acted  then,  but  it  is  most  significant  as  a  lesson  for  all 
coming  generations.  It  teaches  its  truths  in  two  opposite 
directions — how  man  ought  never  to  be  discouraged  and  dis- 
heartened as  long  as  he  feels  himself  worthy  of  the  merciful 
support  of  his  Maker;  and,  again,  how  we  ought  to  sup- 
press our  daring  and  be  rather  sure  of  unfortunate  results 
whenever  our  enterprise  is  in  conflict  with  the  will  of  our 
Supreme  Guide.  All  the  troubles  and  embarrassing  com' 
plications  of  man  spring  forth  from  omitting  what  he  ought 
to  do  and  from  doing  what  he  ought  to  omit.  This  incon- 
gruity of  action,  however,  is  the  offspring  of  incongruity  of 
principle.  An  unprincipled  mind  will  be  swayed  and  car- 
ried away  by  the  instigation  of  the  moment.  A  mind  ruled 
by  the  dictates  of  a  higher  wisdom  will  never  miss  the 
stepping  stones  which  lead  through  the  uncertain  ways  of 
life.  The  unsettled  state  in  wrhich  you  find  many  an  indi- 
vidual, the  floating  condition  of  his  affairs,  is  not,  as  is 
commonly  believed,  the  mere  product  of  circumstances;  it  is 


—  231    - 

to  a  far  greater  extent  man's  own  creation,  for  he  of  a  firm 
and  controlled  mind  is  never  in  an  unsettled,  floating  con- 
dition. "  Trust  where  you  have  a  right  to  trust,  fear  where 
fear  is  virtue;"  this  is  the  best  wisdom  for  the  individual 
and  the  safest  policy  for  nations.  Our  race  claims  the  privi- 
lege to  be  a  most  striking  proof  of  this  truth,  and  the  justice 
of  this  claim  is  acknowleded  even  by  the  animosity  of  our 
opponents.  Goethe,  the  immortal  German  poet,  was  by  no 
means  a  friend  of  our  race;  his  realistic  tendencies  caused 
him  to  say  many  a  harsh  word  against  the  people  of  the 
Hebrews  and  their  sacred  writings.  But  this  very  realism 
in  his  spirit  led  him  involuntarily  to  the  acknowledgment 
that  Israel  is  a  most  important  factor  in  the  history  of 
human  kind. 

THE   HEBREW   PERSECUTION    IN   GERMANY. 

Disheartening  reports  reach  us  from  the  other  side  of 
the  Atlantic.  The  tide  of  antipathy  and  malevolence  against 
our  race  goes  high  at  the  present  moment  in  Germany.  Men 
of  consequence  have  raised  their  voice  against  the  Jew. 
Shall  we  become  disheartened  and  filled  with  fear?  If  the 
reason  for  this  sad  movement  issues  with  us,  if  any  one  of  our 
men  prominent  in  science,  politics  or  finance  has  disgraced 
himself  and  his  people  by  unworthy  actions;  il  the  mass 
of  the  Jewish  population  of  Germany  have  shown  themselves 
unworthy  of  the  right  of  citizenship  in  a  civilized  State,  then 
yes,  we  have  reason  to  fear.  But,  thank  God,  this  is  not  the 
case.  Our  Jewish  brethren  in  Germany  as  to  honesty,  in- 
dustry, culture  and  civic  virtues  stand  in  rank  with  tho  best 
of  the  country.  The  present  tidal  wave  of  antipathy  is  not 
the  natural  outpouring  of  popular  indignation  against  them; 
it  is  rather  an  artificial  creation  of  an  embarrassed  govern- 
ment that  is  anxious  to  deturn  the  popular  attention,  for  the 
moment,  from  itself  to  other  channels.  Was  not  the  Roman 
Church  persecuted  a  while  ago  by  the  same  government, 
and  is  it  not  courted  by  the  same  government  to-day"?  Wait 
awhile  and  perhaps  we  shall  have  the  pleasant  surprise  to 
see  this  same  government,  in  a  few  days,  choosing  its  pillars 
from  the  midst  of  that  highly  gifted  Semitic  race,  and  then 


—  232  — 

the  servile  tools  will  sing  praises  to  those  whom  they  drag 
now  into  the  mire.  No,  we  are  not  disheartened.  We 
trust  where  we  have  a  right  to  trust,  and  we  fear  only  where 
fear  is  virtue.  We  were,  we  are,  we  will  be;  for  it  is  the  aim 
and  the  task  of  our  life  to  glorify  Jehovah  through  all  times. 


What   Love   is. 
June  7,  1880. 

"And  thou  sbalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all 
thy  heart,  with  all  thy  BOU!  and  with  all  thy 
might." 

Deuteronomy  VI,  5. 

I  MADE  you  aware,  in  a  former  sermon,  of  the  difference 
between  the  first  four  books  of  the  Pentateuch  and  the  fifth, 
called  Deuteronomy.  The  former  chronicle  facts  and  laws 
in  a  strict  historical  and  legal  sense,  and  in  a  style,  simple 
and  at  times  even  dry  as  peculiar  to  sober  pragmatism.  The 
latter  aims  more  to  evince  the  transcendency  of  the  national 
events  and  Divine  laws  and  to  show  their  full  bearing  on  the 
human  mind.  This  distinction  enables  us  to  explain  the  pecu- 
liar fact  why  we  donotmeet  in  the  first  four  books  with  even 
one  single  appeal  to  the  human  heart  in  regard  to  the  fulfilment 
of  the  Divine  behests,  while  the  fifth  book  abounds  in  such  ap- 
peals on  all  its  pages.  Twenty  times  is  the  expression  "  love  " 
used  in  the  Pentateuch  as  describing  the  due  relation  be- 
tween God  and  man,  and  the  whole  number,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  one  instance,  belongs  to  the  deuteronomist.  Those 
who  are  accustomed  to  look  upon  the  Pentateuch  as  upon 
a  fabric  of  mere  old  and  cold  law  should  turn  over  and  read 
the  complementing  and  explanatory  pages  of  the  fifth  book, 
and  they  will  find  all  the  warmth  of  life  and  love.  Our  text, 
consisting  of  one  short  verse,  is  a  little  Bible  in  itself,  con- 
taining the  foundation  and  the  pinacle  of  all  true  religion. 
After  the  unity  of  the  Supreme  Ruler  is  solemnly  declared  all 
the  duties  of  man  to  ward  his  Heavenly  Father  are  comprised 
in  the  one  sentence,  "And  thou  shalt  love  the  Eternal  thy 
God."  But  this  feeling  is  well  defined — how  it  must  be 
conceived  and  cultivated  in  order  that  it  might  be  perfect 


—  233  — 

and  not  one-sided.  The  first  condition  of  this  love  is  "with 
all  thy  heart."  This  means,  let  thy  adherence  to  thy  Maker 
be  simple,  unsophisticated,  childlike.  Let  Him  be  thy  great- 
est boon  in  this  world  ;  let  Him  be  the  hope  for  the  here- 
after. Harbor  feelings  of  thanks  toward  Him  in  times  of 
prosperity,  and  fold  in  trustful  prayer  thy  hands  when  the 
flood  of  sorrow  and  anguish  presses  upon  thee.  The  love 
of  the  heart  represents  that  unreserved  belief  which  says, 
"I  resign  myself  undividedly  into  the  hands  of  my  Maker." 
Happy  are  they  who  possess  such  belief.  Theirs  is  the  true 
wisdom  and  strength  of  life.  But  in  spiritual  matters  the 
heart  alone  is  not  sufficient.  The  second  condition  of  true 
love  toward  God  is,  "with  all  thy  soul."  Is  it  possible  to 
unite  a  childlike  heart  with  a  penetrating  and  deeply  rea- 
soning spirit  ?  Why  not?  The  greatest  of  our  prophets 
combine  simplicity  with  lofty  thought.  They  are  at  the 
same  time  the  teachers  of  the  heart  and  of  the  mind.  The 
fact  is,  a  heart  imbued  with  love  toward  God  will  find 
in  its  belief  a  source  of  sublime  wisdom  which  leads  on  in 
development  and  reveals  the  real  truth. 

FAITH  AND  BEASON  BOTH  FROM  GOD. 

It  is  not  true  that  faith  and  reason  are  two  contesting 
parties  in  man;  they  are  both  the  gift  of  one  Creator,  and 
both  in  harmonious  co-operation,  elevate  the  human  being 
to  true  manhood.  Faith  without  reason  is  unreasonable, 
blind  belief;  reason  without  faith  is  a  faithless  manager 
who  squanders  the  best  possession  of  his  master;  both  are 
detrimental  to  man.  Begin  to  love  God  with  your  heart 
and  then  proceed  to  love  Him  with  your  soul,  then  you  will 
find  the  evidence  of  His  presence  in  nature  as  the  child 
finds  the  evidence  of  the  presence  of  a  loving  parent  in  all 
the  arrangements  of  the  dear,  parental  house.  Yes,  you 
will  experience  that  faith  and  reason  do  not  turn  the  flam- 
ing sword  against  one  another,  that  they  rather  jointly 
watch  with  their  flaming  swords  your  paradise;  they  are 
the  angels  of  peace  destined  to  be  the  guardians  of  true 
human  happiness.  There  is,  however,  a  third  condition  ne- 
cessary in  order  to  complete  this  love  to  God  and  to  make 


—  234  — 

it  perfect;  "  with  all  thy  might"  is  the  third  and  last  stage 
of  this  love.  There  shall  not  be  such  a  thing  as  a  discrep- 
ancy between  creed  and  deed.  Our  deed  must  be  the  re- 
flex of  our  pure  sentiment,  of  our  noble  thought.  The  love 
to  our  fellow  man  as  shown  in  our  actions  is  nothing  else 
but  the  reflex  of  that  sublime  love  which  binds  our  whole 
being  to  Him  who  is  the  fountain  head  of  that  vivifying 
principle  which  keeps  the  universe,  which  keeps  mankind 
together — love.  Understand  well  your  Judaism  and  no  em- 
ergency will  be  strong  enough  to  make  you  say  before  the 
world,  "  I  am  no  Jew  !  "  Evince  rather  by  your  noble  senti- 
ments, by  your  upright  and  godly  thoughts,  by  your  charit- 
able actions,  "I  am  a  Jew";  that  will  bring  you  the  esteem  of 
your  fellow  men  and  the  love  of  God. 


Philosophy  and  Providence. 
July  4.  1880. 

"  Te  are  the  children  of  tbe  L<,rd  your  God ; 
ye  shall  not  cut  your-elve-,  iior  luake 
any  baldness  between  your  ej  ee  for  the 
dead." 

Deut.  xiv,  1. 

AN  even-balanced  mind  is  the  greatest  boon  of  man. 
Passion  is  a  ball  of  fire  that  soon  consumes  itself  and  carries 
conflagration  wherever  it  is  thrown.  Indifference  is  a  ball 
of  snow  that  chills  the  hand  that  comes  in  contact  with  it. 
The  passionate  is  neither  truly  happy  himself,  nor  is  he 
capable  of  making  others  lastingly  happy,  and,  as  extremes 
touch  each  other,  the  same  is  true  of  the  cold  and  indifferent 
man.  The  aim  of  all  philosophy  is  to  balance  man's  mind 
evenly  between  passion  and  indifference.  But  whether  sec- 
ular philosophy  can  ever  succeed  in  this  difficult  task,  that 
is  the  great  question.  There  was  the  gay  school  of  epicure- 
anism. Pleasure  was  its  watchword,  and  to  drown  the  sin-ill 
dissonances  of  life  by  the  charming  sounds  of  the  festive 
harp  was  its  wisdom.  But  can  the  sweetest  song  of  joy 
ward  off  the  evil  days,  and  those  years  of  which  man  says, 


—  235  — 

"I  have  no  pleasure  in  them  "?  It  is  unwise  not  to  be  pre- 
pared for  the  reverses  of  life,  knowing  that  they  surround 
us  and  are  sure  to  close  in  upon  us.  The  opposite  of  this 
school  was  stoicism.  This  again  aimed  to  mould  man's  mind 
with  an  iron  hand.  It  deadened  all  the  tender  nerves  that 
vibrate  with  sorrow  as  well  as  with  joy.  Under  its  severe 
discipline  the  adept  had  to  win  a  new  heart — a  heart  of  steel, 
destitute  of  the  weakness,  but  at  the  same  time  of  the  excel- 
lence of  the  heart  of  flesh.  I  look  with  horror  upon  the 
great  Roman  heroes  of  this  school ;  they  seem  to  me  a  race 
of  giants  waging  war  against  the  image  of  God  in  man ; 
their  philosophy  is  a  cold,  sharp  sword,  ready  to  destroy  all 
that  is  warm  and  humane  in  man's  nature. 

THE   DIVINE   TEACHER. 

How  different  it  is  with  the  teachings  of  the  Divine  word. 
The  relation  between  God  and  man  once  established  is  at 
the  same  time  a  source  of  the  purest  joy  and  the  fountain 
head  of  strength  and  consolation.  The  sunny  days  of  pros- 
perity cannot  dazzle  the  eye  of  our  mind  so  as  to  make  us 
forget  our  dependence  on  Him  who  bestows  our  blessings, 
and  the  dark  storm-clouds  hanging  heavily  over  our  heads 
and  pouring  out  their  flaming  fury  can  never  make  us  de- 
spair. "  Ye  are  children  of  the  Lord  your  God,"  written  on 
the  tablet  of  the  human  heart,  is  a  .charm  whose  efficiency 
no  one  can  doubt  or  deny.  It  is  the  beacon  light  for  the 
benighted  child  of  clay,  the  guiding  torch  which  sheds  a 
full  light  on  the  threatening  abysses  to  the  right  and  to  the 
left,  and  leads  the  earthly  pilgrim  faithfully  along  the  gold- 
en path  of  true  salvation.  Yes,  this  sense  of  consciousness 
that  we  are  the  children  of  our  loving  Father  in  heaven  is 
our  best  wisdom,  our  firmest  strength,  our  safest  trust  and 
hope.  When  human  wisdom  is  at  an  end  with  its  restless 
why  and  wherefore,  when  the  bow  of  human  strength  lies 
broken  and  shattered,  when  the  fairest  flowers  of  our  earthly 
hopes  droop  and  fade,  then  search  carefully  under  the  ruins 
and  you  will  find  the  heavenly  spark  of  God's  fatherly  love 
which  raises  you  above  your  loss  and  animates  you  with  a 
better  life  and  purer  hopes. 


—  236  — 

THE   SOUND    DISASTER. 

Alas !  that  dreadful  hour  of  last  week's  catastrophe,  that 
like  a  tornado  swept  away  the  peace  and  joy  of  so  many  a 
happy  household.  Is  there  no  remedy  for  it  ?  Is  there  no 
consolation  for  those  that  mourn  their  beloved  ones  so  sud- 
denly snatched  away  from  them  ?  Earthly  counsel  stands 
spell-bound,  lost  in  consternation  and  despair.  Heavenly 
wisdom,  like  a  loving  mother  at  the  bedside  of  her  sick 
child,  approaches  the  sufferer,  touches  the  aching  heart  and 
speaks  in  deep,  sweet,  holy  accents.  Shed  your  tears,  mourn 
your  loss,  but  do  not  forget  your  God.  Life  is  a  scene  of 
constant  changes.  Nothing  is  permanent  but  the  love  of 
Him  who  never  changes.  There  are  many  entrances  to  the 
valley  of  death.  Whether  our  last  struggle  takes  place  on 
the  quiet  pillow  or  amid  the  roaring  waves  of  the  sea,  the 
same  mercy  leads  the  homeward  bound  pilgrim  here  and 
there  and  brings  him  to  the  peaceful  shore  of  eternity.  In 
His  fatherly  hand  are  the  living  and  the  dead.  Trust  to 
His  love  those  that  He  has  taken  from  you,  and  soothe  your 
aching  heart  with  the  never-failing  balm  of  true  belief,  and 
have  the  fortitude  to  say,  "  I  am  the  child  of  my  God,"  and 
your  Heavenly  Father  will  answer  you  with  the  fullness  of 
His  consolation.  In  our  joys,  in  our  bereavements,  He  is 
our  best  portion,  and  Jhose  who  cling  to  Him  are  never  for- 
saken. 


A  Moral  Analysis  of  Light. 
Aug.,  15,  1880. 

"Arise,  give  light,  for  thy  light  is  come,  and 
the  glory  of  the  Lord  is  shining  over  thee." 

SINCE  the  human  eye  began  to  enjoy  the  rays  of  the 
great  luminous  orb  light  has  ever  been  the  symbol  of  the 
pure  and  noble  with  man.  The  early  generations  of  a  be- 
nighted mankind  bowed  before  the  sun  as  the  source  of 
light  and  worshipped  it  as  a  a  supreme  deity.  A  later  race, 
blessed  with  the  truth  of  revelation,  recognized  the  great 


—  237  — 

creating1  power  as  the  fountain  head  from  whom  all  purity 
and  holiness  emanated,  and  they  said  of  God,  "  With  Thee  is 
the  source  of  life,  and  in  Thy  light  we  see  light."  Time  has 
considerably  changed  the  views  of  mankind,  many  acknow- 
ledged ideas  have  become  antiquated,  and  many  unthought 
of  ideas  have  become  dominant  among  the  sons  of  Adam. 
Doubt  has  become  the  ruling  power,  and  authority  has 
dwindled  down  to  a  second  consideration,  if  considered  at 
all,  but  "Light"  is  more  than  ever  the  watchword  of  human 
intelligence,  and  those  who  are  most  sceptical  make  most 
use  of  this  their  favorite  expression.  All  parties  claim  that 
theirs  is  the  true  light,  and  that  their  opponents  are  the 
people  who  walk  in  darkness.  How  shall  we  know  which  is 
the  true  light  and  which  the  ignis  fatuus  ?  This  knowledge 
is  of  the  utmost  importance  for  our  own  safety,  for  without 
it  we  are  constantly  in  danger  of  being  tempted  to  turn  our 
backs  on  our  most  faithful  Leader  and  to  follow  in  blind 
infatuation  a  guide  whose  vile  pranks  will  bring  us  to  the 
brink  of  perdition.  It  is  not  difficult  to  decide  which  is  the 
true  light.  The  difficulty  is  rather  in  our  unwillingness  to 
accept  the  truth  with  an  unbiassed  mind  and  to  make  it  the 
supreme  law  of  our  life.  Study  the  nature  of  light  and  you 
will  not  doubt  on  what  principles  an  intellectual  and  moral 
system  must  rest  in  order  to  be  by  right  entitled  to  the 
claim  to  be  compared  with  the  light. 

THE   HUMAN   EYE   NOT   THE   LIGHT   ITSELF. 

The  light  has  its  source  from  which  it  emanates.  The 
human  eye  is  the  instrument  for  vision,  but  it  is  not  the 
light  itself,  nor  is  it  the  source  for  the  same.  The  mind  is 
the  eye  of  the  spiritual  man — it  is  quick  to  receive  the  rays 
of  the  spiritual  light;  these  must  come  from  without.  Man's 
mind  is  neither  this  light  itself,  nor  is  it  the  generating 
source  thereof.  Our  mind  needs  development — that  means 
the  drinking  in  of  those  rays  of  knowledge  which  come  from 
the  proper  source.  Human  mind,  therefore,  is  dependent 
upon  super-human  teachings,  and  if  a  master  mind  appears 
at  rare  intervals  among  mankind  setting  forth  truths  which 
serve  to  enlighten  coming  generations,  we  call  such  a  mind 


—  238  — 

inspired,  and  favored  by  special  Divine  relation.  Our  most 
advanced  philosophical  friends  cannot  help  it,  but  they 
must  believe  in  such  revelations.  Another  peculiarity  of 
light  is,  that  in  its  wanderings  it  requires  not  only  to  be 
received,  but  also  to  be  reflected.  "Without  reflection  there 
would  be  no  vision  for  the  eye.  It  is  not  enough  for  the 
human  mind  to  receive  the  Divine  truths;  after  having  care- 
fully gathered  them  they  must  be  reflected  as  noble  thougths 
and  actions,  in  order  to  make  our  minds  visible  to  others. 
Minds  which  reflect  the  Divine  teachings  in  their  purity  are 
white  minds.  Minds  that  absorb  the  same  amount  of  light, 
but  do  not  reflect  it,  will  always  appear  dark.  There  is, 
however,  the  white  snow,  the  light  of  which  dazzles  the  eye 
because  it  reflects  all  the  light  without  absorbing  any  of  it. 
This  is  symbolical  of  the  mind  of  the  hypocrite,  who  shines 
in  dazzling  light  before  the  world  without  retaining  sin- 
cerely in  his  heart  any  of  the  rays  of  Divine  wisdom  as  his 
guiding  element.  He  who  endeavors  faithfully  to  imitate 
his  Heavenly  Father  in  love,  benevolence  and  holiness  is 
undoubtedly  in  possession  of  the  true  light  whose  rays  will 
lead  him  to  a  happy  goal. 


Scripture  and  the  Scientists. 
October  5,  1880. 

"Let  there  be  Light." 

Genesis  I,  3. 

''  LET  there  be  light,"  is  the  beginning  of  the  history  of 
creation.  "  Let  us  make  man  in  our  image"  is  the  end  there- 
of, and  between  these  two  extreme  points  is  ranged  the 
whole  series  of  creatures.  In  times  past  this  first  page  of 
Genesis  was  regarded  as  the  best  evidence  to  prove  the 
Divine  origin  of  the  Bible;  for  who  else  but  God  Himself 
could  have  revealed  the  deep  secret  of  creation  ?  In  our 
days,  again,  this  same  page  of  Genesis  is  considered  as  one 
of  the  weak  points  of  the  Bible.  Human  wisdom  has  super- 
seded the  long-believed  and  revered  theory  ;  the  law  of  de- 
velopment has  become  the  only  credo  of  modern  science. 


—  239  — 

The  books  and  essays  written  on  this  topic  pro  et  contra  con- 
stitute a  vast  library,  and  I  am  not  going  to  swell  the  num- 
ber by  making  my  to-day's  sermon  a  defence  for  the  Script- 
ural cosmogony.  I  will  confine  myself  to  quoting  the 
words  of  an  antagonist.  One  of  our  scientists,  universally 
acknowledged  to  be  one  of  the  most  advanced — I  alude  to 
the  German  scholar  Haeckel — says : — "We  cannot  deny  our 
just  and  sincere  admiration  to  the  magnificent  understand- 
ing of  nature  displayed  by  the  Jewish  lawgiver,  and  to  the 
simple  and  mature  rendering  of  his  hypothesis  of  creation, 
though  we  do  not  believe  the  same  to  be  a  so-called  'Divine 
inspiration/  "  We  certainly  gladly  share  in  the  admiration 
paid  by  the  eminent  naturalist  to  the  deep  knowledge  of 
nature  as  manifested  in  the  Bible,  biit  I  say  this  knowledge 
must  not  necessarily  be  the  merit  of  the  sacred  book.  It 
could  very  well  have  been  the  case  that  the  Scriptures  ad- 
apted a  system  of  creation  well  known  among  the  wise  men 
of  those  times  to  the  main  idea  which  this  book,  and  this 
book  only,  originated  and  propagated.  Not  to  lead  man- 
kind to  the  knowledge  of  nature  was  the  aim  of  the  Di- 
vine Word,  but  to  bring  them  to  the  acknowledgment  of  the 
Master  of  nature;  not  the  creation  but  the  Creator  was  its 
chief  object 

THE   INTENTIONS  OF   THE   BIBLE. 

Things  accessible  to  man's  faculties  are  left  to  the  study 
of  man.  Earnest  and  patient  research  leads  us  onward  and 
increases  the  stock  of  our  knowledge.  Thus  we  may  ad- 
vance to  the  most  astonishing  results.  But  how  far  soever 
we  reach  in  discoveries  and  combinations,  one  thing  is  sure : 
— After  man  has  been  made  acquainted  with  the  idea  of  a  Sup- 
reme Being  there  can  be  no  acceptable  system  of  creation  with- 
out an  omnipotent  intelligence  as  Creator.  The  true  moral  ex- 
planation of  nature  is  given  only  by  the  Bible.  This  claims, 
iu  the  first  place,  our  admiration,  our  sincere  acknowledg- 
ment. From  the  very  criticism  of  the  aforementioned  scho- 
lar, I  learned  to  better  understand  and  to  fully  value  the  in- 
tentions of  the  Sacred  Book  in  the  arrangement  of  details. 
The  said  scholar  reproaches  the  Scripture  system  with  two 


—  240  — 

"  cardinal  errors,"  as  he  calls  them.  The  first  is  the  "  geo- 
centric" error — that  is,  the  earth  is  regarded  by  the  Bible  as 
the  centre  of  the  universe.  The  second  is  the  "  anthropo- 
centric"  error — that  is,  man  is  regarded  by  the  Bible  as  the 
premeditated  aim  and  end  of  all  earthly  creation.  Consid- 
ering the  scope  of  the  Divine  Word,  I  am  rather  inclined 
to  call  these  presumed  shortcomings  the  two  "cardinal  vir- 
tues" of  the  Bible.  This  book  is  for  man,  and  for  man 
alone,  and  therefore  it  is  very  natural  that  he  is  made  the 
centre  of  all  creation.  Earth  is  the  abode  of  man  during 
his  seventy  years'  pilgrimage;  there  he  lives  through  his 
joys  and  sorrows,  and  there  he  prepares  the  inheritance  for 
his  posterity.  What  can  be  more  natural  than  that,  in  a  text 
book  for  man's  moral  life,  the  earth  should  form  the  centre  of 
the  whole  universe  ?  If  we  recapitulate  the  pith  of  the  history 
of  creation  in  its  true  meaning  we  find  it  comprised  in  the 
following  points: — "Believe  in  a  Supreme  Being  as  the 
source  of  all  power  and  intelligence,  know  your  better 
self  and  live  according  to  your  higher  human  nature.  The 
earth  is  given  to  your  care;  be  active  thereon  as  far  as  you 
can,  and  in  all  your  creations  imitate  your  Maker.  Begin 
with  light  and  end  with  the  consciousness :  "I  have  done  as 
behooves  a  being  who  was  created  in  the  image  of  God." 
These  three  principles  are  the  wisdom  in  the  Scriptural  sys- 
tem of  creation,  which  will  never  be  superseded  by  human 
wisdom. 

Lessons  of  the  Late   "  Judenhetse "  in  Germany. 
December  12,  1880. 

•'  Let  there  bo  no  strife,  I  pray  thee,  between 
me  and  thee,  and  between  ii:y  herdmen 
and  thy  herdmen,  for  we  are  men  bound 
In  brotherhood  to  one  another." 

Genesis,  xiii.,  8. 

THE  sublime  idea  of  a  most  holy  Supreme  Euler  which 
he  conceived,  imprinted  upon  the  character  of  the  first  of 
the  patriarchs  the  stamp  of  genuine  manhood.  Scrupulous 
in  his  own  actions  to  do  always  what  was  just  and  right,  we 
see  him  lenient  and  forbearing  in  his  judgment  of  the  short- 


—  241  — 

comings  of  others.  Full  of  noble  pride  he  refuses  the  offer 
of  a  king  of  Sodom  with  the  words,  "Thou  shalt  not  say,  1 
have  made  Abram  rich ;'"  full  of  meekness  and  humility,  in 
the  face  of  his  Maker,  he  prays,  "I  am  but  dust  and  ashes!" 
"With  warlike  courage  he  musters  his  small  band  of  318  to 
rescue  his  kinsman  from  the  hands  of  the  mighty  king  of  the 
East;  but  being  wronged  himself  by  the  same  relative,  he, 
the  stronger,  with  patient  kindness,  urges  peace  in  the  name 
of  their  common  brotherhood.  Thus  the  contrasts  in  his 
character  became  beautifully  harmonized  by  the  agency  of  a 
pure  belief  in  God  and  a  deep  love  to  human  kind,  and  thus 
in  the  many  visitations  that  come  upon  him  he  found 
strength  to  withstand;  nay,  his  many  trials  became  to  him 
as  many  useful  lessons,  to  advance  him  on  his  way  to 
perfection. 

FAITH   AND    LOVE   THE    GUIDING   STABS. 

Let  our  adversaries  say  whatever  they  may,  it  is  a  fact 
strictly  proved  by  the  course  of  our  history  that  these  main 
features  of  the  ancestor  have  become  perpetuated  in  the 
character  of  his  posterity.  Faith  in  God  and  love  to  man- 
kind were  always  our  guiding  stars,  as  they  were  his;  they 
taught  us  on  our  painful  wanderings  through  the  many 
centuries  to  bear  with  heroic  patience  the  greatest  suffer- 
ings, never  to  become  embittered  in  our  minds  and  never  to 
hate  those  who  persecuted  us  in  blind  hatred.  We  saw  the 
hand  of  an  all  wise  Providence  in  all  that  came  upon  us;  we 
deemed  it  our  most  sacred  duty  to  learn  from  our  severe 
trials  the  useful  lessons  they  conveyed.  In  the  midst  of 
hardships  and  unspeakable  difficulties  we  advanced  steadily 
on  the  path  of  our  development,  always  ready  to  grasp  with 
fraternal  feelings  the  hand  that  so  heavily  weighed  upon 
us,  always  disposed  to  repeat  the  inherited  ancestral  motto 
— "Let  there  be  no  strife  between  me  and  thee,  for  we  are 
men  bound  in  brotherhood  to  one  another."  Thus  the  new 
era  found  us  prepared  for  civil  rights,  and  thus  tho  prevail- 
ing spirit  of  tolerance  introduced  the  old  wanderer  as  an 
acknowledged  citizen  into  the  modern  State. 


—  242  — 

"We  have  just  now  emerged  from  a  new  trial  of  the  old 
stamp.  The  rusty  weapons  brought  from  the  mediaeval 
armory  of  Jew  hatred  have  been  lustily  brandished  against 
our  brethren  in  one  of  the  most  cultivated  States  of  the  old 
country,  and  though  wielded  by  strong  and  skilful  hands 
they  have  been  found  too  rusty  to  do  harm.  We,  however, 
like  Jacob  of  old,  who  said  to  the  spirit  that  attacked  him 
in  the  darkness  of  the  night,  "  I  will  not  let  thee  go  until 
thou  hast  blessed  me " — we  must  not  allow  such  events  to 
pass  without  gathering  the  blessing  of  useful  lessons  for  the 
future. 

A   KUSE   OF    THE    GOVEKN'^IEXT. 

I  did  not  mistake  the  nature  of  this  movement  from  its 
start.  Nearly  a  year  ago,  when  the  anti-Semitic  cruiser  was 
but  recently  launched  under  the  false  flag  of  a  popular 
movement,  I  had  in  one  of  my  sermons*  a  passage  which,  as 
a  correct  anticipation  of  the  true  state  of  affairs,  is  interesting 
enough  to  be  reproduced.  I  said  : — "Disheartening  reports 
reach  us  from  the  other  side  of  the  Atlantic.  The  tide  of  anti- 
pathy and  malevolence  against  our  race  rises  high  at  the  pre- 
sent moment  in  Germany.  Men  of  consequence  have  raised 
their  voice  against  the  Jew.  Shall  we  become  disheartened 
and  filled  with  fear  ?  If  the  reason  of  this  sad  movement  is- 
sues with  us;  if  any  one  of  our  men  prominent  in  science,  poli- 
tics or  finance  has  disgraced  himself  and  his  people  by 
unworthy  actions;  if  the  mass  of  the  Jewish  population  of 
Germany  have  shown  themselves  unworthy  of  the  rights  of 
citizenship  in  a  civilized  State,  then  yes,  we  have  reason  to 
fear,  but,  thank  God,  this  is  not  the  case.  Our  Jewish 
brethren  in  Germany,  as  to  honest}*,  industry,  culture  and 
civic  virtues,  stand  in  rank  with  the  best  of  the  country.  The 
present  tidal  wave  of  antipathy  is  not  the  natural  outpour- 
ing of  popular  indignation  against  them;  it  is  rather  an 
artificial  creation  of  an  embarrassed  government  that  is 
anxious  to  turn  the  popular  attention  for  the  moment  from 
itself  to  other  channels"  Thus  I  did  not  suspect  the  Ger- 

*)  See  Page  320. 


—  243  — 

man  people   for   one   moment  to   be   capable   of  such,  an 
onslaught  on  its  own;  on  popular  freedom.     My  judgment 
was  correct.     The  anti-Semitic  cruiser  became  wrecked  on 
the  rocks  of  firm  attitude  taken  by  the  German  nation  in 
this  loathsome  affair.     Notwithstanding  the  numerous  emis- 
saries  who   swarmed   like   wasps  through  the  country  to 
rouse  the  people,  the  populace  at  large  remained  indifferent 
and  cool;   the   question   was   so  very  natural.     First   the 
Catholics,   then  the  Jews.     Who  comes  next?    Thus  the 
ill-famed  petition  travelled  through  the  land,  and  wherever 
it  came  people  gazed  with  astonishment  at  it  as  a  ghost 
wandering  in  broad  daylight.     The  true  representatives  of 
the  people  raised  their  voice.     Men  who  are  the  pride  and 
ornament   of  the   German  nation   and  of  human  kind  in 
general.     They  took  up  the  challenge;  they  rebuked  the 
calumnious  invectives  of   our  offenders.     For  the  sake  of 
truth  and  justice  they  vindicated  the  character  of  their 
-Jewish  fellow  citizens — in  fact,  the  false  face  of  the  antago- 
nist was  torn  off  in  this  struggle,  and  what  was  so  boastingly 
proclaimed  to  be  a  deep  rooted  popular  sentiment  proved  to 
be  a  petty  scheme  of  the  government.     The  dark  spirit  has 
been  forced  back  to  its  obscure  recesses,  the  narrow-minded 
petition  is  withdrawn  from  circulation,  but  it  did  not  leave 
the  scene  of  contest  until  it  brought  us  the  blessing  of  that 
noble  counter  petition — which  for  us  is  a  precious  document 
—that  the  chosen  knights  of  the  truly  holy  spirit,  the  friends 
of  enlightenment  and  popular  freedom,    are    the    faithful 
friends  and  stanch  defenders  of  the  Jew !     Let  us  therefore 
not  slacken  in  our  endeavors  to  promote  liberal  thought  and 
liberal  feeling;  let  us  everywhere  serve  the  true  interests  of 
humanity;  let,  in  all  places  where  they  dwell,  our  brethren 
keep  close  to  the  people  and  identify  themselves  with  the 
interests  of  the  people,  so  that  by  their  lives  and  by  their 
actions  they  may  convey  to  their  fellow  citizens  the  convic- 
tion that  he  who  aims  at  the  rights  of  the  Jew  aims  at  the 
welfare  of  the  Commonwealth.    Equal  rights  remain  forever 
the  basis  of  a  free  people.     And  as  to  our  adversaries,  over 
the  corpse  of  the  defunct  "petition,"  we  reach  them  the 


—  244  — 

right  hand  of  fellowship  with  our  old,  inherited  motto,  "Let 
there  be  no  strife  between  me  and  thee,  for  we  are  men 
bound  in  brotherhood  to  one  another." 


Prophecy  Old  and  New. 
January  9,  1881. 

"And  the  Lord  appeared  to  him  in  the 
grove  of  Mamre,  while  he  was  sitting  at 
the  door  of  the  tent  in  the  heat  of  the 
day." 

Genesis,  XVH1.,  1. 

DIVINE  revelation  is  as  necessary  for  the  development  of 
the  human  soul  as  sunshine  and  rain  are  necessary  for  the 
growth  of  the  plant.  The  seed  of  good  and  noble  deeds 
which  lies  hidden  within  us  sprouts  forth  to  life  and  activity 
when  the  light  of  Divine  wisdom  touches  our  soul,  when  the 
blessed  rain  drops  of  Divine  doctrine  penetrated  the  ground 
of  our  hearts.  The  treasury  in  which  the  gems  of  the 
spirit  are  so  copiously  stored  up  is  at  our  command;  the 
Sacred  Writings  offer  their  riches  to  our  spirit;  but  this 
supply,  plentiful  as  it  is,  cannot  satisfy  the  yearnings  of 
our  soul  after  immediate  revelations,  after  spiritual  experi- 
ences of  our  own.  As  Job  said,  "  I  had  only  heard  of  thee 
by  the  hearing  of  the  ear,  but  now  my  eye  has  seen  thee," 
thus  the  religion  of  tradition,  sublime  and  sacred  as  it  is,  is 
still  but  "the  hearing  of  the  ear,"  till  the  old  truths  become 
substantiated  by  our  own  visions,  till  they  bear  the  stamp 
of  our  own  experiences.  Then  they  become  clear  and  evi- 
dent to  us,  for  we  have  seen  them  with  our  own  eyes.  The 
lack  of  religious  experience  in  their  own  lives  has  induced 
many  to  doubt  the  truth  and  usefulness  of  religion. 

WHAT  CONSTITUTES  THE  PROPHET. 

In  order  to  convert  the  sceptic  minds  it  would  be  neces- 
sary that  God  should  change  them  all  into  prophets  and 
that  He  should  appear  to  every  one  of  them  with  a  legalized 
certificate  that  He  is  really  the  God  of  eternity.  This,  how- 
ever, is  not  possible.  We  are  taught  by  a  great  teacher 
about  the  qualities  which  are  needed  to  constitute  the 


—  245  — 

prophet.  The  substance  of  his  brains  in  its  primitive  forma- 
tion must  be  extremely  well  proportioned  in  all  respects. 
He  must  have  acquired  knowledge  and  wisdom,  so  as  to 
possess  a  perfect  human  intelligence,  and  pure  arid  equalized 
human  morals.  All  his  endeavors  must  be  directed  toward 
the  knowledge  of  the  secrets  of  the  universe  and  their 
respective  causes.  His  thoughts  must  bear  upon  sublime 
objects.  His  mind  must  not  be  preoccupied  but  by  know- 
ledge of  God,  by  the  contemplation  of  His  works  and  by 
that  which  we  ought  to  believe  on  this  score.  His  spirit 
must  be  entirely  free  from  the  bonds  of  sensual  pleasures 
and  vain  ambition.  In  addition  to  all  that,  he  must  be  pos- 
sessed of  an  imaginative  faculty  as  perfect  and  as  full  of  ac- 
tivity as  possible.  These  are  but  a  few  salient  points.  Now 
let  us  ask  those  who  doubt  the  gift  of  prophecy  on  the 
ground  that  if  there  were  such  a  gift  they  would  surely 
possess  it  themselves,  let  us  ask  them  to  tell  us  con- 
scientiously, whether  their  individuality  corresponds  to  the 
outlines  as  drawn  above,  and,  if  they  be  true  to  themselves, 
they  must  answer  in  the  negative.  None  of  us,  even  our 
greatest  men  included,  can  expect  to  receive  his  inspirations 
in  the  way  of  such  prophecy,  for  we  all  participate  too  much 
in  the  shortcomings  of  our  time.  Let  us  see,  then,  what 
kind  of  revelation  we  need  and  can  acquire  in  our  present 
state  even  without  enjoying  the  perfection  of  prophets.  Let 
us  learn  from  the  acknowledgment  of  upright  men  belong- 
ing to  other  denominations  what  we  must  guard  and  pre- 
serve as  the  precious  ornaments  of  our  race,  and  against 
what  we  must  guard  ourselves  as  marring  and  impairing 
the  purity  of  our  character,  which  we  are  bound  to  keep  un- 
tarnished for  the  sake  of  our  past  and  present. 

THE  IDEAL  JEWISH  STATE. 

As  the  reaper  in  harvest  time  gathers  his  sheaves  so  I 
gather  carefully  the  literary  products  to  which  the  anti- 
Jewish  movement  in  Germany  has  given  rise.  I  am  glad  to 
say  I  found  there  many  a  precious  grain  worthy  to  be  stored 
up  in  the  granary  of  our  best  mementoes.  I  am  going  to 
quote  a  passage  emanating  from  the  pen  of  no  less  a  man 


—  246  — 

than  the  eminent  liberalist  and  world-renowned  scientist, 
Carl  Vogt.  In  his  article,  "  Zur  Judenfrage,"  he  has  the 
following  remarkable  words: — "The  picture  which  Europe 
woiild  present  if  it  were  peopled  exclusively  by  Israelites 
would  seem  somewhat  strange.  There  would  be  no  more 
war,  and  consequently  the  moral  sense  would  not  be 
offended  so  frequently.  Millions  of  men  would  not  be 
snatched  away  from  useful  labor  of  all  kinds  and  the  public 
debts  and  taxes  would  decrease.  According  to  the  well 
known  tendency  of  the  Jews  the  cultivation  of  science, 
literature  and  art,  especially  music,  would  be  widely  prac- 
tised. Assaults  on  persons  and  alienation  of  property  by 
violence  would  be  of  rare  occurrence.  By  means  of  intelli- 
gent and  regular  work,  combined  with  thriftiness,  wealth 
would  increase.  This  wealth  would  be  applied  to  the  prac- 
tice of  most  magnificent  charity.  The  clergy  would  not  at 
all,  or  at  least  on  trifling  matters,  come  into  conflict  with  the 
State.  Marriage  would  be  early,  frequent  and  generally 
respected,  and  therefore  the  evils  issuing  from  immorality 
would  be  rare.  This  circumstance,  as  well  as  some  of  their 
sanitary  laws,  would  add  toward  making  the  population 
healthy  and  beautiful.  Births  would  be  numerous  and  the 
average  duration  of  life  would  be  longer.  From  all  these 
causes  the  population  would  exceedingly  increase.  The 
state  of  affairs  would  be  somewhat  as  it  is  in  China,  but 
with  more  morality,  more  intelligence,  more  taste,  and  with- 
out the  hideous  revolts  and  butcheries  which  degrade  the 
Celestial  Empire." 

This  is  the  judgment  of  a  man  who  is  accustomed  to  ob- 
serve with  the  microscope,  and  we  can  rely  on  its  correct- 
ness. Now,  what  I  learn  from  it  is  that  if  we  are  left  to 
those  influences  which,  since  thousands  of  years,  shape  the 
character  of  our  race,  our  development  is  sure  to  go  on  in 
the  right  direction.  If,  however,  \ve  yield  to  influences  which 
tend  to  destroy  the  old  sources  of  salvation,  then  a  steady 
deterioration  will  take  place  till  the  noble  characteristics 
will  be  no  more  recognizable.  Where  shall  we  have  our 
revelations?  Abraham  enjoyed  the  Lord's  appearance  while 


—  247  — 

he  was  sitting  at  the  door  of  his  own  tent.  "Well,  then, 
keep  to  the  door  of  your  own  tent.  Many  have  become 
estranged  from  the  holy  tent  of  their  ancient  religion;  no 
hour  of  devotion  ever  follows  their  hot  pursuits  on  the 
racing  grounds  of  the  market.  What  wonder,  then,  if  they 
lose  all  perceptibility  for  higher  revelations.  In  many 
instances  the  buzz  of  the  market  and  the  rush  and  show  of 
noisy  entertainments  have  devoured  the  better  and  purer 
taste  for  home  joys.  How,  then,  should  their  hearts  find 
that  sweet  satisfaction  which  makes  man  truly  happy  ?  Yes, 
God's  inspiration  is  ready  to  descend  into  our  minds.  The 
door  of  our  tent  is  the  gate  of  heaven.  A  conscientious 
father  and  a  true  mother  are  prophet  and  prophetess,  and 
loving  aud  faithful  sons  and  daughters  are  the  true  adepts 
of  our  future  prophecy. 


Selling  his  Birthright. 
February  20,  1881. 

"Behold,  I  am  going  to  die;  and  what 
profit  then  can  the  right  of  nrst-born 
be  to  ma  ?  " 

Genesis  xxv,  32. 

IT  is  a  curious  bargain  of  which  the  Scriptural  lesson 
tells  us  to-day.  The  older  brother  sells  and  the  younger 
brother  buys  an  imaginary  article,  the  birthright,  and  the 
price  paid  for  it  is  a  pottage  of  lentils.  We  understand 
better  the  import  of  the  transaction  between  Jacob  and 
Esau  if  we  bear  in  mind  the  social  order  under  which  it  was 
consummated.  Under  the  patriarchal  constitution  the  eld- 
est son  was  destined  to  step  in  after  his  father  as  the  secular 
and  spiritual  leader  of  the  family  or  clan.  Ishmael's  mock- 
eries in  Abraham's  house  deprived  the  Arabs  of  their  claim 
as  leaders  of  the  Abrahamitic  clan  ;  Esau's  transaction  made 
the  Edomites  lose  their  prerogative.  The  short  and  quaint 
narrative  has  its  national  significance  ;  it  is  an  explanatory 
introduction  to  that  which  came  to  pass  at  a  later  stage  ;  it 
shows  that  the  last  blessing  of  Isaac,  which  was  the  formal 
installation  of  his  successor  as  the  head  of  the  family,  be- 


—  248  — 

longed  by  right  to  Jacob  arid  not  to  Esau.  The  main  inten- 
tion of  the  whole  passage  is  to  establish  Israel's  supremacy 
among  the  descendants  of  the  first  patriarch.  Precious, 
however,  as  these  family  records  are  and  will  forever  be  to 
us,  the  progeny'  of  the  patriarchs,  their  practical  value  has 
greatly  changed  in  the  course  of  the  centuries.  It  is  no 
more  a  vital  question  for  us  whether  our  title  to  dominion 
is  better  founded  than  that  of  any  other  tribe  or  nation 
bordering  the  land  of  promise.  Divine  Providence,  to  be 
the  bond  of  brotherhood  between  mankind,  has  led  nations 
from  their  native  places  to  far  distant  spots ;  has  brought 
different  races  together  in  the  close  contact  of  common  citi- 
zenship, and  thus,  instead  of  the  Ammonites,  Moabites, 
Edomites  and  Arabs,  the  children  of  the  distant  Aryan  stock 
have  become  our  neighbors,  our  brothers,  to  whom  we  are 
tied  by  the  strong  ties  of  common  interest.  Little  it  mat- 
ters now  whether  Jacob's  title  as  the  first-born  is  valid  or 
not ;  he  who  strives  to  be  the  best  citizen  in  the  state  in 
which  he  lives  proves  best  his  right  and  his  superiority. 
Notwithstanding  this  fact,  however,  our  Scriptural  passage 
has  by  no  means  lost  its  great  importance.  Divested  of  its 
special  national  meaning  it  still  retains  its  instructive  power 
in  regard  to  the  moral  and  spiritual  position  man  in  general 
ought  to  take.  Human  society  was  ever  and  is  still  divided 
into  two  principal  types.  The  one  is  the  Esau  type,  the 
other  is  the  Jacob  type.  Sensual  selection  and  the  struggle 
for  existence  are  the  principles  of  development  for  the  wild 
hunter.  Image  of  God,  free  will  and  dependency  on  a  most 
holy  Lord  are  the  eternal  stars  that  lead  with  quiet  and 
steady  light  the  "plain  man,  dwelling  in  tents."  I  do  not 
say  that  you  cannot  build  a  moral  system,  even  on  the  ex- 
tremest  materialistic  principles.  Man's  heart  is  a  human 
heart,  even  if  you  call  it  a  rock,  and  man's  soul  is  not  the 
less  a  human  soul,  whether  you  call  it  brain  substance  or  by 
any  other  name.  Still  there  is  a  great  difference  on  what 
foundation  you  build.  Estrange  the  human  soul  from  the 
consciousness  of  its  higher  nature  and  destination,  and  you 
will  just  as  well  succeed  as  if  you  were  to  take  an  exceed- 


—  249  -- 

iiigly  gifted  child  and  expose  it  to  the  corrupting  influence 
of  a  systematically  bad  education. 

EVILS   OP    MATERIALISM. 

Degrade  the  human  spirit  by  teaching  him  to  regard 
himself  as  nothing  more  than  the  agent  of  animal  appetites, 
and  you  have  done  the  work  of  destruction.  You  may  in- 
troduce the  element  of  refinement ;  you  may  polish  and  em- 
bellish your  materialistic  principles  till  they  look  brilliant 
and  sound  sublime,  and  surpass  seemingly  revealed  religion 
in  practical  virtues;  superficiality  may  applaud  you;  thought- 
lessness may  make  herself  the  ardent  apostle  of  your  glad 
tidings ;  the  earnest  man  will  look  with  care  and  anxiety  at 
your  work.  You  start  from  false  premises  and  can  never 
reach  correct  conclusions.  You  plant  lovely  gardens,  but 
your  plantations  are  placed  in  a  volcano.  Epicurus  made 
"pleasure"  the  principle  of  his  doctrine,  and  though  he  de- 
clared virtue  the  greatest  of  pleasures,  his  followers  were  of 
a  different  opinion,  and  in  time  Epicureanism  turned  into 
epicurism.  You  preach  "feed  one  another  charitably,"  but 
your  fundamental  principle  teaches  "devour  one  another  if 
necessary. '  You  proclaim  the  broadest  liberality,  but  at 
the  bottom  lurks  the  tyranny  of  selfishness.  You  promise  the 
joys  of  life,  but  you  leave  to  death  its  cold  despair.  Your 
principle  in  its  logical  consequences  makes  life  a  hunting 
place,  man  the  wild  hunter,  and  all  the  great  prerogatives 
of  man  salable  articles  bearing  no  higher  price  than  the 
pottage  of  lentils — joys  of  a  lower  order.  According  to  your 
system  the  watchword  of  man  most  agreeing  with  his  nature 
must  be,  "Behold,  I  am  going  to  die  ;  and  what  profit  then 
can  the  right  of  first-born  be  to  me  ?  "  The  doctrine  of  ma- 
terialism ignores  man's  higher  gifts  and  thereby  lowers  and 
harms  them.  Revealed  religion  acknowledges  man's  dual- 
istic  nature  and  strives  to  constitute  the  spiritual  part  as 
the  teacher  and  educator  of  the  animal  part.  It  knows 
man's  struggles  in  life,  and  therefore  with  motherly  care  it 
opens  for  him  an  inexhaustible  source  of  encouragement  and 
strength.  It  knows  the  fickleness  of  instinctive  emotions, 
and  therefore  it  teaches  justice  and  uprightness,  love  and 


—  250  — 

charity,  in  the  name  of  Him  who  never  changes.  It  is  aware 
of  the  wounds  of  suffering  humanity  and  pours  its  healing 
balm  on  aching  hearts.  It  looks  upon  man  with  his  three 
score  and  ten  years  and  admonishes  him  urgently,  "Make 
use  of  your  short  days  to  vindicate  your  birthright,  for  the 
closing  of  earthly  life  means  for  you  the  beginning  of  a  pure 
existence  in  the  realms  of  eternity."  Revealed  religion 
plants  its  gardens  on  the  river  side  of  a  blessed  heart  and 
soul,  and  therefore  its  plantation  is  sure  to  live  and  to  yield 
the  blessed  fruit  of  happiness  in  time  and  eternity. 


Service  and  Wages. 
March  20,  1881. 

"  Because  thou  art  my  brother  shouldst  tbou 
therefore  serve  me  for  naught  ?  Tell  me 
what  shall  my  wages  be  ?" 

GeuesiB  XXIX,  15. 

THE  inspired  author  of  the  book  of  Job,  makes  his  hero 
utter  tke  significant  words : — "Is  there  not  a  limited  time  of 
service  to  the  mortal  upon  earth?  Are  not  his  days  also 
like  the  days  of  a  hired  laborer  ?  The  sufferer  longeth  for 
relaxation  from  liis  pains  as  a  servant  eagerly  longeth  for 
the  evening' s  shadow,  and  the  hopeless  hopes  for  the  end  of 
his  sorrows  as  a  hired  laborer  hopeth  for  his  reward."  The 
peculiar  situation  in  which  they  are  uttered  lends  to  these 
words  a  peculiar  melancholy.  In  the  main,  however,  they 
express  a  theory  of  life  which  is  based  on  a  deep  knowledge 
of  human  nature  and  on  a  profound  perception  of  human 
destination.  Though  we  may  eat  ashes  like  bread  and 
mingle  our  drink  w  ith  weeping,  or  though  we  may  feed  on 
Asher's  fat  bread  and  on  his  royal  dainties,  life  still  remains 
a  limited  time  of  service,  and  our  aspirations  show  that  we 
are  by  no  means  willing  to  render  our  services  without  an 
adequate  compensation.  There  is  not  one  laborer  in  the 
great  workshop  of  life  who  does  not  expect  in  some  shape 
his  due  wages,  but  this  shape  or  manner  forms  the  point  of 
difference  between  the  aspirants  in  life.  The  wise  man  of 
the  Scriptural  proverbs  divides  mankind  in  this  respect  into 


-251- 

two  classes.  Ho  says: — "The  righteous  eatetli  to  satisfy  his 
desire,  but  the  appetite  of  the  wicked  always  suffereth 
want."  This  saying  is  an  apt  illustration  of  our  subject. 
Compare  the  world  and  its  bounties  to  a  richly  set  table,  and 
mankind,  as  the  workmen  of  the  Supreme  Master,  gathered 
around  this  table  to  take  their  repast  as  part  of  their  wages. 
There  is  an  upper  and  lower  part  at  this  table.  All  parts 
of  the  table  do  not  enjoy  the  same  plentifulness  of  provi- 
sions; some  seem  scantily  provided  iu  comparison  with 
others;  but  everywhere  is  sufficient  food  to  satisfy  a  modest 
and  contented  mind.  Look  now  how  differently  the  parti- 
cipants at  this  meal  act. 

HOW   HAPPINESS    IS   MARKED. 

There  is  one.  He  eats  more  with  his  eyes  than  with  his 
mouth.  The  rich  gifts  stored  up  before  him  do  not  attract 
his  thankful  look;  his  eyes  are  always  wandering  to  that 
which  others  have  before  them;  the  piece  his  neighbor 
picked  out  was  just  the  one  he  wanted,  and  thus  he  suffers 
want  in  the  midst  of  plenty.  There  is  another  who  eats  more 
with  his  hands  than  with  his  mouth.  He  never  rests,  lays 
as  much  as  he  can  on  his  plate,but  for  fear  that  there  might 
be  no  meal  at  the  table  on  the  next  day  he  does  not  dare  to 
enjoy  his  blessing  on  the  present  day.  There  is  again  an- 
other, who  eats  more  with  his  ears  than  with  his  mouth. 
He  has  so  much  to  hear  of  what  the  other  guests  have  to 
say  that  he  hardly  finds  time  to  help  himself  at  the  table. 
The  few  chosen  ones  are  those  who  eat  heartily.  Thank- 
fully they  enjoy  their  own  portion,  and  in  hearty  kindness 
they  do  cheerfully  whatever  they  can  to  make  their  neigh- 
bors as  glad  and  comfortable  as  they  are  themselves.  A 
great  deal  of  comfort  and  enjoyment  in  the  world  is  lost 
through  bad  disposition,  which  engenders  quarrels  and  strife. 
Have  a  correct  idea  of  the  services  you  are  bound  to  render 
and  of  the  wages  you  are  entitled  to  expect.  Do  not  under- 
rate the  one  and  do  not  overvalue  the  other,  and  thus  you 
will  find  the  safest  means,  not  only  to  preserve  the  equili- 
brium of  social  life,  but  to  introduce,  instead  of  hatred,  crime 
and  horror,  love,  virtue  and  cheerfulness. 


—  252  — 

LESSON    OF    THE    RUSSIAN    ASSASSINATION. 

The  horrible  tidings  which  startled  the  world  a  few  days 
ago,  how  loudly  they  preach  the  lesson  of  true  service  and 
true  wages !  On  this  principle  not  only  our  private  and  social 
but  also  our  political  life  must  be  built,  or  else  the  neglect 
proves  destructive  sooner  or  later.  The  late  Emperor  of 
Russia  has  fallen  a  victim  to  iniquitous  traditions  on  this 
point,  and  those  that  have  demanded,  in  the  thundering 
voice  of  the  bombshell,  "Give  us  our  wages,"  have  earned 
with  a  murderous  hand  the  horrid  wages  of  a  most  hideous 
sin.  Grant  to  the  people  their  wages.  Do  not  mar  the  free- 
dom that  is  due  to  them.  Let  public  instruction  enlighten 
the  growing  citizen  on  what  he  owes  to  social  order,  to  the 
State  and  its  government  Let  a  sincere  democratic  ad- 
ministration convince  the  people  that  their  interests  are  dear 
and  holy,  and  soon  the  glorious  hymn  will  resound  where 
once  the  murderous  bombshell  clashed. 

Let  us  turn  to  another  event,  which  is  less  extensive  in 
its  bearing,  but  gladdening  in  its  aspect  and  intense  in  the 
lessons  it  conveys.  We  celebrated  last  week  an  ancient  fes- 
tival. Reminiscenses  of  past  times  revived  in  our  hearts 
feelings  of  gratitude  for  the  heavenly  protection  which  kind 
Providence  has  bestowed  on  our  race  whenever  danger 
threatened  us.  Gladness  filled  our  hearts.  Tens  of  thous- 
ands of  dollars  were  laid  down  as  an  offering  on  the  altar  of 
charity.  Wherever  we  know  of  one  poor  and  destitute  we 
endeavored  to  gladden  the  afflicted.  This  is  the  right  way 
to  show  that  we  are  the  good  and  honest  workmen,  doing 
our  share  in  life  and  worthy  to  sit  at  the  table  of  the  Lord. 
Yes,  let  us  work  in  the  service  of  Him  who  is  faithful  in 
His  reward,  for  like  Laban,  fortune  in  this  world  changes 
treacherously  our  wages  ten  times  and  more.  God's  justice, 
however,  warrants  the  fact  that  the  true  service  will,  sooner 
or  later,  find  its  true  wages. 


—  253  — 

The  Requirements  of  Our  Time. 
May  1,  1881. 

"  Let  your  heart  therefore  be  entire  frith  the 
Lord  your  God  '' 

I.  Kings,  viii.,  61. 

OTTB  religion  is  a  system  of  life  for  man.  It  is  built  on 
two  axioms — one,  the  existence  of  a  Supreme  Being;  the 
other,  that  man's  soul  is  the  image  of  the  Most  High.  All 
other  moral  teachings  as  contained  in  our  religion  can  be 
developed  by  inference  from  these  two  cardinal  principles. 
Belief  is  the  acknowledgment  of  the  axioms.  Faith  is  the 
application  of  them  in  human  life.  Revelation  imparted  once 
for  all  the  objects  of  belief  to  mankind.  To  it  nothing  can 
be  added  and  from  it  nothing  can  be  taken.  But  as  to  the 
development  of  faith  there  is  an  infinite  field  open  for  man's 
activity.  Faith,  is  the  true  fulfilment  of  our  duties,  and  they 
again  depend  on  our  different  relations  in  life,  which  change 
from  generation  to  generation,  and  thus  the  faith  of  one  age 
will  not  prove  sufficient  for  a  succeeding  age,  although  the 
substratum  of  faith,  the  objects  of  belief,  will  prove  an  un- 
changeable truth  for  all  ages.  This  distinction  between 
belief  and  faith  affords  us  a  safe  criterion  by  which  to  ren- 
der an  unbiassed  judgment  on  the  position  which  the 
modern  school  has  taken  in  regard  to  the  truths  and  prac- 
tices of  religion.  The  array  of  all  possible  human  know- 
ledge and  learning  will  never  be  able  to  shake  or  move  the 
foundations  of  the  moral  world.  Man's  genius  will  never 
find  a  substitute  to  supersede  the  two  axioms — so  simple,  so 
solid,  so  all-encompassing  as  revelation  has  imparted  them 
to  us.  But  on  the  other  hand  all  the  strictures  and  sug- 
gestions made  by  the  modern  school  in  regard  to  faith  are 
worthy  of  our  notice  and  consideration.  They  call  our 
attention  to  new  relations  which  are  the  offspring  of  the 
present  and  which  are  as  yet  deprived  of  all  religious  con- 
sideration. The  zeal  and  urgency  of  the  modern  school  in 
this  respect  are  of  great  value  for  the  spiritual  advancement 
of  mankind.  There  are  so  many  believers,  who  lack  faith, 
not  because  they  are  not  willing  to  do  justice  to  their  be- 


—  254  — 

lief,  but  rather  because  they  mistake  it  as  an  obligation 
imposed  by  their  belief  not  to  venture  one  step  beyond  the 
narrow  circle  drawn  around  human  affairs  so  many  centu- 
ries ago.  The  immense  area  of  human  relations  which  has 
been  added  since  they  regard  as  unhallowed  ground,  quite 
foreign  to  religious  practice ;  the  greatest  part  of  social  life, 
mercantile  and  political  life  altogether,  is  declared  as  pro- 
fane, and  thus  a  sad  discrepancy  arises  between  confession 
and  life  — a  discrepancy  which  forces  upon  the  earnest  obser- 
ver the  apprehension  that  our  belief  must  be,  to  use  the  ex- 
pression of  the  prophet,  "  a  bed  that  is  too  short  for  a  man  to 
stretch  himself  out  on  and  a  covering  that  is  too  narrow  to 
wrap  himself  in."  The  apprehension  is  true,  not  in  regard 
to  the  tenets  of  our  own  belief  but  in  regard  to  the  misap- 
plication of  the  same.  In  all  branches  of  life  the  distin- 
guishing features  of  the  sect  ought  to  be  left  entirely  to  the 
individual;  the  consequences,  however,  of  the  two  great 
axioms — God  exists  and  man  is  in  His  likeness — ought  to 
engender  a  noble  manhood  whose  stamp  ought  to  be  im- 
printed on  all  branches  of  our  public  life,  and  which  ought 
to  constitute  the  faith  of  the  community. 

A  CENSUS   OF   KELIGIOrS   ORGANIZATIONS    DENOUNCED. 

To  illustrate  by  instances : — A  short  time  ago  I  received 
a  communication  from  the  Census  Office  requesting  my  aid 
in  the  collection  of  the  statistics  of  religious  organizations. 
A  series  of  questions  was  laid  before  me,  of  which  every 
single  question,  if  put  to  any  citizen  of  these  our  United 
States,  would  justly  be  deemed  as  an  infringement  on  his 
right  as  a  citizen  and  as  a  violation  of  the  spirit  of  our  con- 
stitution. An  organization  consists  of  individuals;  what 
right  has  the  man  at  the  head  of  the  organization  to  answer 
questions  which  are  offensive  to  the  rights  of  the  single  in- 
dividual ?  Let  the  Department  of  the  Interior  take  as  care- 
ful a  census  of  the  citizens  as  it  is  able  to  do,  but  as  to 
religious  statistics  that  is  best  left  to  the  different  denomi- 
nations. Let  them  take  care  of  themselves.  Thus  I  did  not 
answer  the  questions  concerning  the  religious  community 
whose  spiritual  leader  I  have  the  honor  to  be,  and  I  think  I 


—  255  — 

did  right.  I  think  the  spirit  as  well  as  the  letter  of  our 
constitution  demands  urgently  that  the  branch  "statistics 
of  religious  organizations  "  be  entirely  abolished  in  a  census 
of  the  citizens  of  the  United  States  of  America.  There  you 
have  an  instance  where  religion  is  out  of  place. 

STREET   CLEAJTCNa  A    PROPER    RELIGIOUS   TOPIC. 

On  the  other  hand,  if  you  ask  me  whether  street  cleaning 
has  anything  to  do  with  religion — whether  it  be  a  fit  topic 
for  a  pulpit  oration — I  say  there  can  be  no  more  important 
subject  and  more  deserving  our  attention  than  this,  on 
which  public  safety  is  so  dependent.  It  is  hard  to  believe 
that  a  dirty  city  harbors  a  pure  and  virtuous  population. 
"Let  thy  camp  be  holy"  means,  in  the  first  place,  "Let  thy 
camp  be  clean."  Among  the  ten  good  things  which  a  city 
must  enjoy  in  order  that  a  God-fearing  man  should  be 
allowed  to  reside  in  it,  according  to  the  old  law,  one  of  the 
foremost  is  cleanliness,  and  thus  it  is  the  duty  of  true,  of 
civic  religion,  to  proclaim,  "Clean  the  streets,"  which  is 
paramount  to  "Thou  shalt  not  murder!"  I  could  increase 
these  instances  which  are  to  show  that  a  pure  belief  must 
be  proven  by  good  faith;  if  the  latter  is  lacking  the  former 
is  also  wanting.  We  are  practical  in  our  age  and  prove 
theory  by  practice.  Not  visiting  the  house  of  worship  is 
by  no  means  a  token  of  your  lack  of  spiritual  advancement, 
but  also  your  attendance  at  the  Sabbath  service  is  no  suffi- 
cient proof  of  earnest  and  active  piety.  To  see  you  here 
from  Sabbath  to  Sabbath,  and  to  read  of  you  what  I  read 
in  the  last  report  of  the  New  York  Hospital  Saturday  and 
Sunday  collection — that  a  fourth  part  of  the  whole  amount 
collected  came  from  you,  and  that  of  the  whole  amount 
you  gave  only  $4  which  were  designated  to  the  Mount  Sinai 
Hospital;  that,  therefore,  in  your  charity  you  regard  all 
mankind  as  your  race,  to  whom  you  cling  with  brotherly 
love — this  shows  clearly  your  advance  in  religion;  it  shows 
that  your  heart  is  entirely  with  God  and  that  your  mind  is 
up  to  the  requirements  of  our  time. 


—  256  — 

The  Evil  and  its  Cure. 
June  10,  1881. 

"And  they  said  one  to  another,  Truly  we 
are  guilty  concerning  our  brother,  etc." 
Genesis  XLIII,  21. 

IT  is  the  saying  of  our  old  sages  that  no  man  commits  a 
wrong  unless  he  is  invaded  by  the  spirit  of  folly.  This  ex- 
presses the  same  idea  as  the  biblical  phrase,  "Behold,  the 
fear  of  the  Lord  that  is  wisdom."  Both  sentences  intend  to 
say  that  conscience  is  the  true  reason  of  man  and  a  perfect 
self-control  is  his  highest  intelligence,  or  with  other  words, 
the  moral  standard  of  a  man  is  the  measure  of  his  worth. 
This  system  does  not  admit  of  expressions  as,  "He  is  an  in- 
telligent but  a  wicked  man/'  as  "wicked"  is  the  negation  of 
"intelligent."  This  system,  furthermore,  insists  upon  re- 
garding every  slight  deviation  of  our  inclinations  and  actions 
from  the  right  direction  as  the  commencement  of  an  ailing 
of  the  soul,  which,  if  not  treated  properly  in  time,  will  end 
in  the  ruin  of  body  and  soul.  There  is  no  tampering,  no 
compromising,  no  admitting  of  so  called  "amiable  vices." 
Youth,  manhood  and  old  age,  as  they  are  coherent  in  time, 
so  they  must  be  coherent  in  principle.  The  duties  are  meted 
out  to  man  according  to  his  strength  in  the  different  stages 
of  life.  The  fulfilment  of  these  duties  is  soul's  health;  the 
neglect  is  sickness  and  needs  a  speedy  and  radical  cure. 
Bigorous  as  this  system  may  appear  in  the  eyes  of  those 
who,  from  misplaced  pity,  feel  always  inclined  to  sympathize 
with  the  stray  part  of  mankind,  it  still  harbors  more  genuine 
love  and  brings  more  benefit  to  man  than  all  our  sickly 
sentimentality.  The  matter  of  fact  method  of  old  wisdom 
calls  things  by  their  right  names  and  places  them  in  the 
right  light;  the  accommodating  versatility  of  the  modern 
age  is  prolific  in  well  sounding  appellations  for  rejectable 
things,  and  understands  how  to  place  the  most  doubtful 
actions  in  a  favorable  light,  especially  if  they  are  accom- 
panied by  success.  We  have  a  code  of  elastic  maxims  against 
the  straight  code  of  morals.  If  any  one  makes  mistakes 
through  his  carelessness  we  are  soon  at  hand  with  the  sooth- 


—  257  — 

ing  medicine  that  "every  man  is  liable  to  mistake."  If  the 
step  is  made  from  mistake  to  error  we  kindly  cover  it  up  by 
the  saying  that  ''it  is  human  nature  to  err."  If  error  grows 
finally  into  crime  we  find  still  an  excuse  in  the  fact  with  the 
first  man  the  first  fall  began.  Thus  we  ignore  and  excuse 
in  our  optimistic  sentimentality,  till  crime  grows  the  rapa- 
cious beast  ready  to  devour  in  its  wildness  the  safety  of 
those  who  allowed  its  growth  by  their  indulgence.  It  is  a 
grave  mistake  to  shield  sinners  behind  the  fact  that  the 
sacred  book  introduces  man  into  the  world  as  a  sinning 
being.  The  instances  of  sin  and  sinners  as  produced  by  the 
Scriptures  are  earnest  admonitions  and  warnings,  and  by 
no  means  excuses  and  encouragements  for  coming  trans- 
gressors. 

DOCTRINES  OP  ORIGINAL  SIN. 

Not  less  a  mistake  is  it  to  say  that  sin  is  inherent  to  hu- 
man nature.  Just  as  well  you  could  say  that  it  is  the  nature 
of  the  ground  to  grow  weeds.  It  will  grow  weeds  if  you 
allow  it,  but  it  will  furnish  you  with  blessed  fruit  if  your 
labor  gives  to  its  natural  powers  the  right  direction.  Sin 
seems  to  us  natural  to  man  because  we  are  in  many  instances 
not  careful  enough  to  root  up  the  weeds  of  mistakes  and 
errors  in  the  young  heart.  The  child  grows;  they  grow  with 
the  child,  and  then  we  say  that  is  nature.  In  truth,  how- 
ever, it  is  the  degeneration  of  nature.  Proper  care  and  sys- 
tematical treatment  in  time  would  have  filled  with  healthy 
seed  the  place  which  is  now  covered  by  poisonous  herbs. 
Another  great  mistake  on  our  part  is  to  allow  ourselves  to 
be  attracted  by  the  smart  points,  by  the  daring  feats  which 
are  connected  with  the  perpetuation  of  the  evil  deed.  The 
discussion  of  the  slyness  or  boldness  with  which  the  crime 
was  executed  outweighs  by  far  the  moral  indignation  which 
we  display.  This  certainly  has  its  bad  effect.  Many  a  lost 
individual,  face  to  face  with  the  retribution  of  justice,  is  still 
kept  away  from  true  repentance  by  the  flattering  idea, 
"They'll  say, 'anyhow,  he  was  a  smart  fellow.'"  And  the 
acknowledgment  which  thus  is  paid  to  such  smartness  in- 
duces many  an  unprincipled  one  to  vie  for  the  same  sad 


—  258  — 

laurels.  Depose  the  heroes  of  crime  by  the  cold  and  un- 
biassed judgment  that  the  commission  of  an  evil  deed  is  blunt 
stupidity,  -which  must  be  restrained  from  doing  harm,  raid 
by  such  verdict  you  will  detain  and  deter  from  crime  more 
perhaps  than  the  severest  punishment  can  do.  Certain  it  is 
that  those  sensational  novels,  where  criminals  are  the  heroes 
of  the  action,  have  done  a  great  deal  of  harm  by  seducing 
many  a  young  heart  in  giving  to  its  ambition  a  false  direc- 
tion. TVe  have,  then,  as  the  main  point,  that  -watchfulness 
over  our  children  and  reasonable  education  are  the  best 
means  to  conquer  the  evil.  In  this  education  two  points 
must  be  kept  constantly  in  view  in  order  to  cure  the  evil  at 
its  source.  The  vision  of  the  body's  eye  is  corrupted  either 
by  hallucinations  or  by  illusions,  and  so  it  is  with  the  eye  of 
the  mind,  with  conscience. 

FALSE  STAXDABDS. 

The  value  of  worldly  things  is  overrated,  their  use  in 
many  instances  is  misapplied  and  mammon  is  commouly  de- 
clared as  all  powerful.  This  disturbs  unsettled  minds,  fills 
them  with  illusions  and  bedims  the  clear  sight  of  conscience. 
On  the  other  hand  the  sceptic  idea  which  is  so  prevalent  at 
the  present  time  in  regard  to  man's  own  being;  the  little 
care  which  is  bestowed  on  the  soul,  as  a  consequence  of  the 
•  doubt  whether  man  has  a  special  soul  at  all — this  is  so  apt 
to  impair  the  normal  state  of  the  mind's  eye  that  spiritual 
hallucinations  soon  must  ensue.  Cure,  then,  these  two 
evils.  Live  a  modest  life;  let  not  the  thirst  after  more  fill 
your  heart  with  avidity;  make  a  proper  use  of  that  which 
the  blessing  of  the  Lord  has  bestowed  on  you;  and  thus,  by 
a  simple  and  active  life,  you  and  your  children  will  be  safe 
from  illusions.  Know  you,  and  teach  it  to  your  children, 
that  man's  better  portion  is  his  soul,  and  that  the  best  guide 
for  heart  and  spirit  is  the  Word  of  God,  and  thus  no  de- 
structive hallucination  will  harm  you  and  yours.  Let  the 
old,  the  eternal  moral  system  prevail  and  there  will  be  less 
opportunity  for  the  sad  confession — Truly  we  are  guilty. 


—  259  — 

Character  the  Basis  of  Life. 

July  24.  1881.    ~ 

"And  Jacob  called  unto  his  sons  and  s:.id. 
Gather  yourselves  together  that  I  may 
tell  you  1  hat  which  shall  l;efall  you  in 
the  la*t  days.'' 

Genesis,  XL1X.,  1. 

AEOITNB  the  bed  of  the  dying  patriarch  were  gathered  the 
twelve  sons,  who  were  destined  to  grow  into  tribes  and  to 
play  as  a  nation  a  most  important  part  in  the  world's  his- 
tory. After  such  an  overture,  "I  will  tell  you  that  which 
shall  befall  you  in  the  last  days,"  uttered  by  one  who  was  so 
familiar  with  Divine  visions  as  Jacob  was,  we  might  justly 
expect  to  hear  in  his  last  words  the  revelation  of  secrets 
concerning  a  remote  future.  The  fact,  however,  is  that  very 
little  information  can  be  gathered  from  this  Scriptural  page 
in  regard  to  coming  events.  This  fact  is  so  astounding  that 
the  old  sages  tried  to  explain  it  by  saying  that  the  patriarch 
had,  indeed,  the  intention  to  make  his  sons  acquainted  with 
the  hidden  events  of  coming  times,  but  that  God,  willing  it 
otherwise,  thus  withdrew  from  him  the  spirit  of  divination, 
and  the  clear  seeing  eye  of  the  seer's  mind  became  suddenly 
dimmed.  Others,  in  order  to  explain  our  text,  plunge  into 
the  deep  sea  of  mystery.  Behind  the  outward  garb  of  the 
latter  there  are  hidden  the  most  important  spiritual  and 
historical  revelations — invisible  to  the  profane  and  to  be 
read  by  only  the  initiated  mind.  The  modern  school  again 
has  its  own  ingenious  way  of  setting  this  matter  right.  As 
to  ourselves,  we  cannot  agree  with  the  old  sages  on  this 
point.  It  is  hard  for  us  to  believe  that  the  dying  patriarch 
intended  to  make  communications  to  his  children  against 
the  will  of  God.  Nor  can  we,  on  the  other  hand,  venture  in 
this  hot  weather  to  follow  the  mystics  to  their  sultry  recesses 
of  mysticism.  As  to  the  modern  school,  true  their  method 
has  a  cooling  effect  on  the  heart,  perhaps  too  much  so;  but 
this  method  is  in  most  cases  too  ingenious  to  be  true,  and.  it 
is  by  no  means  safe  to  make  a  holy  writ  of  modern  criticism. 
Let,  then,  our  fundamental  principle,  that  in  God's  Word 
deep  wisdom  goes  hand  in  hand  with  unsophisticated  sim- 


—  260  — 

plicity,  show  us  the  right  way  of  explanation.  The  Scripture 
gives  us  here  the  last  address  of  a  wise  and  pious  father  to 
his  children.  He  pretends  to  foretell  their  future;  but  in- 
stead of  doing  that  he  gives  a  short  but  accurate  description 
of  the  different  characters  of  his  sons.  Does  this  fact  not 
imply  the  most  important  lesson?  Does  it  not  clearly  state 
the  truth  that  man's  character  is  the  only  solid  foundation 
on  which  the  structure  of  his  future  can  be  safely  raised? 
All  our  connections,  enterprises,  aims  and  ends  grow  forth 
from  our  character  as  the  plants  grow  from  the  soil,  and 
therefore  we  can  justly  say  that  every  man  carries  within 
himself  the  magic  mirror  in  which  he  is  permitted  to  see 
the  reflex  of  his  future.  This  idea,  if  earnestly  reflected 
upon,  may  give  to  morbid  human  curiosity  a  sound  and 
wholesome  direction.  Instead  of  spying  behind  the  curtain 
of  time  to  catch  a  glimpse  of  things  unborn  let  man  steadily 
keep  his  inwardness  in  view;  let  him  build  up  and  mould 
and  shape  his  character.  That  levels  for  him  the  difficulties 
of  life;  that  raises  within  his  breast  the  voice  of  a  truly 
Divine  oracle  which,  if  it  does  not  tell  him  the  things  that 
are  to  happen,  tells  him  more,  and  reveals  to  him  a  more 
necessary  and  useful  knowledge — namely,  the  state  of  his 
mind;  how  he  is  prepared  to  meet  the  occurrences  that 
God's  providence  has  in  store  for  him. 

PARENTAL  DUTY  IX  FORMING  A  CHILD'S  CHARACTER. 

Furthermore,  our  Scriptural  passage  conveys  a  great 
admonition  to  parents.  How  clearly  it  maps  out  the  path 
of  parental  duty!  You  may  toil  your  lifetime  and  may  suc- 
ceed in  leaving  to  your  children  treasuries  full  of  gold  and 
silver;  still  you  cannot  say  that  their  future  is  insured,  for 
you  cannot  know  what  will  befall  them  in  the  last  days. 
Make  it  your  highest  aim  in  life  to  study  the  rich  material 
which  lies  in  the  heart  and  mind  of  your  children;  out  of 
this  material  strive  to  form  good  and  noble  characters,  meek 
and  modest  in  prosperity,  strong  and  enduring  in  adversity; 
thus  the  f uture  of  your  progeny  will  never  prove  a  failure. 
In  the  character  of  a  nation  lies  the  explanation  of  its  past 
history  and  the  foreboding  of  the  events  that  are  to  come. 


—  261  — 

AN  IMPROVED  SYSTEM  OF  TEACHING  NEEDED. 

Education  is  a  better  safeguard  for  nations  than  armies 
and  weapons.  National  education,  however,  lacks  a  most 
important  factor  if  it  fails  to  influence  and  to  enhance  the 
character  of  the  growing  citizen.  On  this  head  we  venture 
to  make  two  strictures  on  our  own  system  of  public  educa- 
tion— first,  our  system  of  competition  is  liable  to  bring  up 
racers  rather  than  quiet,  steady  and  settled  minds;  second, 
the  too  frequent  change  of  teachers  which  the  child  has  to 
undergo  is  a  great  impediment  to  lasting  impressions.  Let 
the  teacher  go  up  with  the  child  through  a  certain  num- 
ber of  classes.  Give  the  teacher  the  opportunity  to  impart 
and  the  pupil  the  time  to  receive  the  imprint  of  a  defined 
intellectual  individuality,  and  the  traces  of  school  education 
left  on  the  character  of  the  child  will  not  be  so  faint  as  they 
are  now.  These  are  points  which  the  Board  of  Education 
ought  to  consider  earnestly.  As  to  us,  let  us  keep  the  holy 
bequest  of  Father  Jacob;  let  us  keep  pure  and  spotless  our 
name  and  fame,  never  let  the  fault  be  with  us,  and  in 
the  rest  let  Providence  dispose  of  the  event  until  the  last 
day. 

Work  and  Enjoyment 

Aug.  21,  1881. 

"Wherefore  do  you  spend  money  for  thatwhich 
is  nut  bread,  and  your  labor  for  that  which 
satisfieth  not?  Hearken  diligently  unto 
me  and  eat  ye  that  which  is  good  and  let 
your  soul  delight  itself  in  fatness." 

Isaiah,  LV,  2. 

THE  results  of  human  life  are.dependent  on  two  factors — 
work  and  enjoyment.  Work  is  the  means  and  enjoyment 
the  end  sought.  The  desire  after  comfort  and  well-being 
is  the  prime  motor  in  man's  activities  from  the  beginning 
to  the  end  of  his  career.  The  first  cry  of  the  new  born  and 
the  last  sigh  of  the  dying  and  all  varied  changes  between 
the  cradle  and  the  grave  are  simply  the  manifestations  of  one 
continuous  effort  to  attain  to  the  highest  degree  of  comfort 


—  262  — 

and  satisfaction  that  can  be  secured  in  this  life.  What  is 
the  aim  and  tendency  of  all  human  knowledge?  As  the 
golden  ore,  after  which  the  miner  digs  in  the  dark  lap  of 
the  earth,  finds  its  distinction  either  in  the  mint  or  in  the 
goldsmith's  laboratory,  where  it  is  converted  into  ornaments 
of  beauty  and  articles  of  use  for  man,  even  so  the  spiritual 
and  moral  miners  open  their  shafts,  delve  into  the  depths 
of  speculative  and  philosophical  and  sientific  inquiry,  that 
they  may  bring  forth  to  the  light  the  ores  and  precious 
stones  of  truth  and  polished  ideas  for  the  benefit  of  their 
fellow  men.  But  the  value  of  all  this  digging  and  delving 
is  not  ascertained  until  the  crude  thoughts,  like  the  rough 
ore,  is  tested  in  the  furnace  and  crucible  of  practical  experi- 
ment. If  then  they  can  be  used  as  to  enhance  the  moral 
or  material  standard  and  condition  of  the  race,  then  they 
shall  be  deemed  worthy  to  survive.  Their  claim  lies  in 
their  usefulness. 

PREPARATIONS   FOR   IJFE's   WORK. 

It  is  of  great  importance  to  prepare  the  growing  man 
for  the  work  of  life.  AVithout  such  preparation  he  will  be 
a  stranger  in  the  busy  spheres  of  mankind — an  outlaw  in 
the  circle  of  legitimate  activity.  The  desire  after  comfort 
by  one  prepared  for  work  is  tempered  by  the  gratification 
which  a  regulated  activity  carries  within  itself.  In  vacant 
minds  the  longing  after  satisfaction  will  degenerate  into 
wild  appetites  and  on  idle  hands  will  soon  grasp  after  un- 
lawful means  to  satisfy  the  cravings  of  an  unprincipled  am- 
bition. But  while  thus  acknowledging  the  importance  and 
sanctity  of  work,  we  must  by  no  means  neglect  the  other 
part  The  question  how  shall  we  apply  correctly  the  earn- 
ings of  our  labor  so  as  to  derive  from  them  a  pure  and  sa- 
tisfactory enjoyment  of  life  is  very  important.  The  words 
of  our  sacred  text  show  that  the  prophet  Isaiah  had  before 
him  a  generation  that  was  irreproachable  in  regard  to  their 
industry  and  alertness  to  make  money,  but  they  were  faulty 
in  the  knowledge  how  to  apply  their  income  so  as  to  secure 
the  greatest  and  purest  pleasure.  And  he  thought  it  worth 
his  while  to  make  this  serious  evil  the  theme  of  an  earnest 


—  263 

admonition.  From  the  remedy  which,  he  proposed  judge 
what  the  evils  of  his  time  must  have  been.  Ill:*  words  sug- 
gest the  following  division  of  busy  mankind  in  his  day: — 

DIFFERENT   CLASSES   OF   AVOKKERS. 

There  was,  first,  the  passionate  business  man.  He  lived 
and  loved  business  and  thought  of  nothing  else  all  the  day 
long.  Gain  and  loss  was  a  secondary  matter  with  him,  and 
the  main  question  was  to  do  as  great  an  amount  of  business 
as  possible.  He  lived  the  life  of  a  machine,  confined  to  one 
exclusive  function,  and  that  function  being  over  he  had  no 
vitality  left  for  anything  besides.  Another  class  was  the 
smart  business  man.  With  him  occupation  was  merely  the 
tool  with  which  to  amass  capital,  and  as  his  smartness  grew 
in  proportion  to  the  amount  of  his  capital,  his  exclusive  am- 
bition was  to  reach  the  highest  degree  of  smartness,  incon- 
siderate whether  or  not  his  soul  and  heart  thirsted  for  a 
drop  of  true  enjoyment.  Another  class  was  the  fashionable 
business  man.  He  did  honestly  his  work  and  felt  the  desire 
to  enjoy  the  fruits  of  his  labor,  but  he  had  not  independence 
of  character 'enough  to  fashion  his  enjoyment  after  his  own 
principles;  he  made  it  rather  his  principle  to  enjoy  after  the 
fashion,  and  thus,  not  consulting  his  own  power  of  digestion, 
the  same  dishes  had  to  be  served  on  his  table  as  were  served 
on  the  table  of  his  fashionable  neighbor.  Through  shallow 
and  through  deep  waters  he  followed  conscientiously  his 
fashionable  neighbor,  and  if  it  was  dangerous  and  burden- 
some to  him,  well;  one  must  pay  his  price  in  order  to  be 
privileged  to  bear  the  sweet  burden  of  fashion.  And,  fin- 
ally, there  was  the  lowest  class,  the  fast  business  man,  who 
for  a  moment's  pleasure  squandered  the  earnings  of  months, 
who  in  the  prosperity  of  the  present  never  gave  a  thought 
to  the  time  that  was  to  come  and  to  the  change  that  possibly 
might  take  place.  Always  at  the  mercy  of  the  tide  that 
carried  him,  he  never  cared  to  change  the  current  of  his  ef- 
forts, and  thus  the  moment  of  his  submersion  was  but  a 
question  of  time.  The  prophet,  seeing  the  activity  of  his 
generation  impaired  by  such  unreasonable  use  of  the  pro- 
ceeds, puts  the  question  to  his  people,  "Wherefore  will  ye 


—  264  — 

spend  money  for  what  is  not  bread,  and  your  labor  for  what 
satisfieth  not?"  He  means  to  say,  Why  do  you  not  be- 
stow the  same  care  and  earnestness  on  a  proper  enjoy- 
ment of  your  earnings  as  you  do  on  your  endeavour  to 
gain  the  means  of  enjoyment  ?  Why  do  you  frustrate  the 
true  end  and  aim  of  your  own  work?  The  prophet  lays 
bare  the  root  of  the  evil  and  proposes  the  remedy.  Now,  my 
friends,  if  we  look  around  in  the  sphere  of  our  own  time 
and  life  and  find  that  the  classes  mentioned  above  have 
disappeared,  our  text,  with  its  reproach  and  proposal  for  the 
better,  is  a  mere  matter  of  antiquity.  But  if  we  find  that  the 
same  conditions  as  described  in  the  words  of  the  old  beer  are 
prevalent  in  our  own  midst — and  doubtlessly  they  are — then 
his  inspired  advice  must  be  of  the  utmost  interest  for  our 
own  personal  welfare. 


Life's  True  Enjoyment. 

Aug,.  28,  1881. 

"For  not  in  baste  shall  ye  go  out  and  not  In 
flight  shall  ye  go,  for  before  you  goeth  th« 
Lord  and  your  rearward  is  the  God  of 
Israel.1' 

Isaiah,  LIL,  12. 

THERE  is  a  great  deal  of  wisdom  in  the  Oriental  proverb, 
"  better  to  walk  and  to  reach  than  to  run  and  to  tire."  Speed 
is  commendable  as  long  as  it  is  in  proportion  to  our  capacity 
and  is  truly  subservient  to  our  will  and  to  increase  the  effecti- 
veness of  the  time  allotted  to  us  to  reach  the  true  purpose 
of  life.  The  modern  theory  of  human  life — that  it  is  a  mere 
struggle  for  existence — shows  its  weakness  and  faultiness  in 
this,  that  it  makes  haste  and  waste  the  principal  law  of  our 
whole  being  without  explaining  to  us  the  why  and  whither 
of  this  struggle.  The  origin  of  this  view  of  life  lies  not  in 
the  cogency  of  facts  or  calculations;  it  is  rather  an  inference 
deduced  from  very  unreliable  assumptions.  Its  genesis  is 
easily  told.  Struggle  is  the  nature  and  essence  of  doubt. 
As  long  as  we  doubt  the  rule  and  wisdom  of  a  Supreme  dis- 
poser we  make  our  own  spirits  the  scene  of  severe  conflicts. 


—  265  — 

If  in  such  a  restless  and  undecided  state  of  mind  we  under- 
take to  render  a  judgment  on  things  and  their  nature,  on 
life  and  its  significance,  then  we  will  undoubtedly  be  guided 
by  the  reflex  influence  and  impressions  of  our  own  minds,  for 
the  world  lies  in  man's  heart.  We  will  then  see  everywhere 
but  conflict  and  struggle,  and  the  natural  verdict  will  be  the 
same  as  the  Ecclesiastes  preached  it  in  his  gloomy  and  scep- 
tical mood: — "All  things  weary  themselves;  man  cannot 
utter  them;  the  eye  is  never  satisfied  with  seeing,  nor 
the  ear  filled  with  hearing."  With  Ecclesiastes,  however, 
this  scepticism  was  but  the  working  hypothesis  by  which  he 
sought  to  find  the  only  possible,  the  final  and  conclusive 
truth.  The  end  of  the  matter,  he  says,  is,  "  Fear  God  and 
keep  his  commandments,  for  this  is  the  whole  man."  In  fact, 
starting  from  a  firm  belief  in  a  Supreme  Being,  man's  life 
rises  far  above  the  lowness  of  a  mere  struggle  for  existence. 
The  haste  and  waste,  the  unavoidable  transitoriness  which 
is  inevitably  connected  with  man's  earthly  nature  and  his 
worldly  circumstances,  are  more  than  counter-balanced  by 
the  permanency  of  his  higher  aspirations,  by  the  stable 
gratification  which  he  derives  from  the  consciousness  of  his 
spirituality  and  by  the  one  great  hope  which  does  not  leave 
him  even  at  the  gate  of  death — the  hope  for  eternity. 

THE   SABBATH    ELEMENT    I>"    MAN. 

Man's  daily  work,  the  tilling  of  the  ground  for  his  earthly 
subsistence,  is  thus  characterized  in  the  words  of  the 
Scriptures: — "In  the  sweat  of  thy  face  shaltthou  eat  bread." 
As  the  struggle  for  existence,  and  therefore  its  main  feature, 
is  restlessness  and  haste,  pleasure  and  enjoyment,  the  Sab- 
bath element  in  man's  life  must  partake  of  spirituality  and 
must  be  of  a  quiet,  deep  and  stable  nature  in  order  to  give 
lasting  satisfaction  to  the  heart  and  to  the  mind.  This 
recognition  will  perhaps  enable  us  to  explain  a  quaint  ap- 
pearance in  our  own  time.  It  is  an  admitted  fact  that  we  are 
richer  in  means  for  enjoyment  than  any  generation  that  has 
gone  before  us.  To  the  legacy  of  the  past  the  inventive 
genius  of  the  present  has  added  a  long  series  of  pleasures 
which  were  unknown  to  our  ancestors.  There  is  no  phase 


—  266  — 

of  life  and  no  season  of  the  year  which  does  not  abound  in 
rich  and  joyful  gifts.  The  seaside  and  the  mountains,  the 
thousand  various  charms  of  rusticating,  temper  for  us  the 
heat  of  summer.  Theatres,  concerts  and  parlor  gatherings 
make  us  forget  the  inclemency  of  winter.  Many  things  that 
our  fathers  would  have  regarded  as  extravagant  luxuries 
have  become  ordinary  necessaries  with  us.  But  for  all  that, 
are  our  costly  indulgences  as  effective  as  the  modest  plea- 
sures of  the  times  gone  by  ?  If  we  place  the  feverish  im- 
patience which  is  the  characteristic  of  our  enjoyments  over 
against  the  sedate  quietude  which  so  eminently  distin- 
guished the  recreations  of  old  then  we  must  confess  that 
theirs  was  the  satisfaction  and  ours  is  the  disappointment. 
Why,  then,  are  we  less  successful  in  our  enjoyments  than 
our  ancestors  ?  It  is  because  we  are  unmindful  of  the  truth 
that  on-3  drop  of  spirituality  and  heartiness  infuses  more 
genuine  life  into  our  pleasures  than  thousands  of  the  cost- 
liest luxuries  are  able  to  do.  "What  a  source  of  pure  grati- 
fication are  the  evening  hours  in  the  quiet  household  after  a 
noisy  and  trying  business  day.  But  you  are  too  tired  for 
that?  Try  to  instil  the  spirit  of  love  and  virtue  into  the 
tender  souls  of  your  beloved  ones,  and  do  it  with  all  your 
heart  and  all  your  soul,  and  you  wrill  find  it  the 
most  soothing  and  the  sweetest  recreation.  Benevolence 
is  also  a  source  of  pure  pleasure.  Jsot  that  benevolence 
which  opens  the  hand  and  closes  the  heart.  To  Destow  a 
kind  thought,  a  feeling,  a  word  of  brotherly  affection  on 
suffering  mankind,  is  both  enobling  and  gratifying,  for  it 
makes  one  feel  that  he  is  not  unworthy  of  the  mercy  of  his 
Heavenly  Father.  In  our  social  gatherings,  in  our  conver- 
sations with  friends  we  may  be  witty  and  imrnorous,  but  we 
should  never  forget  that  wit  and  humor  are  never  so  savory 
as  when  they  are  tinted  with  the  roseate  hue  of  good  nature 
and  harmless  innocence.  Eat  and  drink,  dance  and  play — 
I  mean,  on  musical  instruments,  not  at  cards— -but  in  ell 
your  pastimes  never  miss  spirituality,  that  sacred  salt  which 
is  the  covenant  of  the  Lord  with  us  all. 


—  267  — 

THE   FOUNT    OF    SPIRITUAL    ENJOYMENT. 

But  whence  shall  we  take  this  supply  of  spirituality  in  a 
world  that  is  so  filled  with  material  pursuits?  The  asylum 
for  the  spirit  stands  open.  The  sanctuary  waits  for  every 
one  of  us.  The  garden  planted  by  the  hand  of  the 
Eternal  offers  its  delicious  fruits  and  fragrant  flowers.  We 
may  there  learn  how  to  enjoy.  But  those  who  stand  out- 
side will  probably  say,  "We  have  seen  many  enter  the  gar- 
den, but  we  have  seen  nothing  of  the  fruit  they  have  brought 
back."  Let  me  answer  those  outsiders  with  the  lovely  little 
fable  narrated  by  the  great  Persian  poet.  A  religious  man 
with  his  head  bent  to  his  knees  was  deeply  merged  in  the 
sea  of  sublime  meditations  and  remained  thus  for  a  long 
time.  When,  emerging  from  his  reverie,  he  raised  his  head 
one  of  the  bystanders  asked  him  mockingly,  "From  that 
garden  in  which  thou  hast  just  been  what  fruits  hast  thou 
brought  for  me?  ''  When  I  entered  the  garden,"  answered 
the  good  man,  "I  folded  the  flap  of  my  garment,  intending 
that  at  the  first  rosebush  I  reached  I  would  gather  the 
sweetest  roses  for  my  friends;  but  when  I  came  near  I  was 
so  overpowered  by  the  sweet  odor  that  the  flap  of  my  gar- 
ment slipped  out  of  my  hands.  Thus  I  had  all  for  myself; 
for  you  I  brought  nothing.'' 

The  moral  of  the  story  is  that  we  must  enter  ourselves  if 
we  wish  for  the  fruits  of  the  garden.  We  must  keep  in  in- 
timate contact  with  Him  who  is  the  source  of  pure  joy  and 
ours  will  be  true  enjoyment. 


Russia  and  the  Monroe  Doctrine. 

May  7,  1882. 

"Whom  shall  I  send,  and  who  will  go  for 
I.alah  vi.,  S. 

THERE  is  a  moral  atmosphere  around  mankind,  just  as 
there  is  a  material  atmosphere  around  the  terrestrial  globe 
on  which  we  live.  Both  are  in  constant  motion,  and  the 
conditions  prevailing  in  one  place  will  soon  be  felt  at  an- 


—  268  — 

other.  By  certain  signs  in  the  air  \ve  are  able  to  predict  the 
changes  of  weather,  and  by  certain  signs  in  the  moral  at- 
mosphere we  are  able  to  predict  with  a  kind  of  natural 
prophecy  the  events  that  are  to  befall  a  smaller  or  larger 
portion  of  mankind,  according  to  the  expanding  capacity  of 
the  prevailing  conditions.  Sometimes  the  storm  exhausts 
its  power  on  a  small  portion  of  land,  sometimes  the  hurri- 
cane whirls  on  mighty  wings  over  wide  deserts  and  immense 
seas  from  one  part  of  the  world  to  another.  It  is  not  given 
to  us  tc  control  the  meteorological  phenomena  ;  we  can 
lessen  their  harmful  effect  by  precaution  ;  we  can  even  sig- 
nalize to  far  distant  countries,  "  Beware,  a  storm  is  coming." 
This  is  much,  but  it  is  all ! 

IMPORTANCE   OF    MORAL    TEACHINGS. 

In  regard  to  the  moral  atmosphere,  however,  inasmuch 
as  man  creates  it  he  must  also  be  able  to  control  it,  to  re- 
move all  detrimental  elements,  and  thus  to  keep  it  healthy 
and  wholesome.  A  properly  balanced  order  based  on  moral 
principles  is  the  best  means  to  reach  this  end.  True,  the 
wider  a  circle  extends  the  more  conflicting  elements  will  it 
contain,  and  the  more  difficult  it  will  become  to  harmonize 
the  contrasts  and  to  make  them  subservient  to  the  common 
welfare;  but  as  with  due  care  it  can  be  done,  and  as  human 
prosperity  so  eminently  depends  upon  a  proper  adjustment 
of  the  moral  state  of  man,  the  best  thoughts  and  energies 
of  mankind  ought  to  be  directed  toward  this  all-important 
point.  A  family  thriving  in  business  affairs  but  neglecting 
the  domestic  duties  of  the  household  may  grow  rich,  but  it 
never  will  be  a  happy  family.  A  commonwealth  with  ample 
resources  but  without  a  wise  and  honest  legislation,  will 
soon  find  that  the  days  of  its  prosperity  are  numbered.  A 
mankind  with  a  world  in  its  possession,  with  mighty  motors 
as  steam  and  electricity  at  its  command,  but  without  a  moral 
code  whose  supreme  authority  is  warranted  by  universal  ac- 
knowledgment, will  always  be  exposed  to  the  danger  of  re- 
lapsing at  any  moment  into  the  state  of  barbarity  to  emerge 
from  which  it  required  the  struggle  of  sc  many  centuries. 
Material  progress  is  a  great  factor  in  advancing  civilization; 


—  269  — 

civilization  itself  it  is  not,  for  this  consists  in  a  sound  moral 
state  of  human  society. 

Non-inferference  is  an  acceptable  principle  in  interna- 
tional politics;  it  is  the  acknowledgment  of  the  rights  of  the 
state  as  an  individual,  but  there  are  limits  beyond  which  the 
general  "omne  nimis"  may  justly  be  applied  also  to  the 
Monroe  doctrine.  We  can  draw  a  sanitary  cordon  at  the 
borders  of  a  district  infected  with  a  contagious  disease,  and 
thus  prevent  the  evil  from  spreading,  but  moral  disease  is 
difficult  to  be  localized.  The  spiritual  atmosphere  con- 
stantly moves  and  carries  the  germs  of  contagion  far  and 
wide,  and  thus  a  local  moral  evil  if  not  suppressed  in  time 
will  soon  become  the  pestilence  of  the  world.  The  Monroe 
doctrine,  therefore,  does  not  hold  good  where  the  cardinal 
principles  of  morality  are  concerned. 

RUSSIA   AND   HER   SUBJECTS. 

Russia's  cruel  treatment  of  her  Jewish  subjects  has  in- 
fected the  moral  atmosphere  of  the  world.  Every  new  phase 
in  the  development  of  this  disgraceful  drama  shows  how 
weak  the  foundations  of  our  present  civilization  must  as  yet 
be  if  such  offense  to  human  society  at  large  is  possible,  with- 
out any  legal  means  being  left  with  which  the  outrage  can 
be  checked.  Indignation  meetings  were  held  in  different 
parts  of  the  world.  Modest  representations,  urgent  en- 
treaties •wers  made  on  the  part  of  great  governments.  "What 
was  Russia's  answer?  Incriminations  against  the  Jews 
which,  even  if  they  were  as  true  as  they  are  false,  could  by 
no  means  justify  what  has  been  perpetrated  by  the  mobs, 
and  what  has  been  neglected  by  the  authorities;  endeavors 
to  denounce  the  reports  of  the  atrocities  as  greatly  exag- 
gerated— that  was  all  of  Russia's  reply — and  the  outrages 
are  continued  in  the  face  of  a  protesting  world,  with  a  per- 
tinacity worthy  of  a  better  object. 

SECRETARY  FREYLrXGHTJYSEN's   LETTER. 

The  letter  of  our  Secretary  of  State,  of  April  15,  directed 
to  the  American  resident  at  St.  Petersburg,  is  a  remarkable 
document ;  it  characterizes  precisely  the  situation.  Every 
word  breathes  the  deepest  sympathy  and  the  best  will  to 


—  270  — 

serve  the  poor  sufferers,  but  it  shows  at  the  same  time  the 
inability  of  any  extraneous  power  to  enforce  the  ameliora- 
tion of  the  affairs  of  the  poor  Russian  Jews  under  the  pres- 
ent rules  of  international  politics.  The  letter  is  a  monu- 
ment of  American  sentiment  and  a  masterpiece  of  logic.  It 
states  as  the  only  excuse  of  the  Kussian  government  its  pos- 
sible lack  of  power  to  prevent  and  check  the  disastrous 
riots.  In  the  phrase  "  Should,  however,  the  attitude  of  the 
Kussian  government  be  different"  the  doubt  is  expressed 
whether,  in  fact,  this  charitable  excuse  can  be  applied  to 
Russia.  This  doubt  is  well  founded ;  a  government  that 
had  sufficient  power  to  wage  successfully  a  great  war  for 
the  ostensible  excuse  of  protecting  the  wronged  Christians 
of  another  country,  must  certainly  have  sufficient  power  to 
protect  its  own  wronged  subjects.  The  document  having 
thus  politely  indicated  the  true  state  of  affairs  defines  the 
line  of  action  which  is  possible  under  the  circumstances. 
In  regard  to  the  Jews  that  are  Russian  subjects  it  beseeches 
the  Emperor,  in  the  name  of  America's  friendship  for  Rus- 
sia, "  to  find  means  to  cause  the  persecution  of  these  unfor- 
tunate fellow-beings  to  cease ;"  but  in  regard  to  the  Jews  in 
Russia  who  have  the  privilege  to  be  American  citizens  the 
document  takes  the  firm  stand  that  American  citizenship 
can  and  will  never  depend  on  Russian  definition  and  inter- 
pretation. But,  volumes  as  this  letter  speaks,  will  it  allevi- 
ate the  miseries  of  the  unfortunate  fellow-beings  ?  The  ex- 
periences of  the  last  year  answer,  peremptorily,  not.  How, 
then,  is  the  sore  of  the  world  to  be  cured  ?  Let  the  great 
powers  of  the  world  learn  the  lesson  that  mankind  is  an  in- 
tegrity, and  that  its  prosperity  needs  a  common  moral  basis. 
There  have  been  conferences  where  territory  and  its  division 
was  the  great  object.  Moral  principles  as  international  laws 
were  a  secondary  matter. 

Is  it  not  time  to  have  a  great  conference  of  the  govern- 
ments of  the  civilized  world  to  lay  down  common  rules  bind- 
ing for  all  which  may  prevent  humanity  being  placed  again 
in  a  similar  position  as  now  —  namely,  to  starve,  helpless, 
though  its  heart  grieves  at  the  sight  of  the  wrong  that  is 


—  271  — 

perpetrated  against  God  and  man  ?  Such  a  conference  would 
accomplish  more  lasting  good,  and  would  better  succeed  in 
establishing  a  reliable  equilibrium,  than  diplomacy  could 
ever  expect  to  do  even  by  the  most  dexterous  division  of  the 
territories  of  the  world.  Civilization  waits  for  a  basis.  Man- 
kind longs  for  redemption.  Which  of  the  nations  will  be 
the  chosen  one  to  speak  the  first  word?  Who  is  destined  to 
begin  the  greatest  work  of  the  nineteenth  century  ?  Who 
will  answer  to  the  Divine  message,  "  Here  am  I,  send  me." 


Religion  and  Modern  Society. 
Aug.  20,  1882. 

• '  And  I  have  placed  my  worda  in  thy  mouth,  and 
with  the  shadow  of  my  haud  have  I  covered 
thee;  to  plant  the  heavens,  and  to  lay  the 
foundations  of  the  earth,  and  to  say  to  Zion, 
Thou  art  my  people." 

loaiah  LI,  18. 

SOON  the  soldiers  of  the  Lord  will  stand  in  battle  array 
to  fight  the  evil  one  in  his  numerous  shapes  and  tricks.  One 
of  the  principal  tricks  of  Satan  is  to  decoy  his  antagonists 
into  the  snare  of  pulpit  polemics.  Sometimes  again  he  puts 
in  the  way  of  the  advancing  spiritual  army  the  menacing 
shadow  of  some  playful  sceptic.  All  gather  around  him  and 
waste  their  strength  in  fighting  this  shadow,  and  in  the 
meantime  great  opportunities  for  important  work  are  lost. 
Here  is  a  little  story  bearing  on  this  subject : — 

A  man  came  to  a  dervish  and  said : — "  I  will  lay  before 
you  three  religious  questions  to  which  you  will  not  find 
easily  an  answer.  The  first  is — You  say  God  is  everywhere, 
but  I  see  Him  nowhere.  The  second  is,  you  say  the  power 
belongs  to  God  and  all  that  is  done  through  Him;  if  so  how 
can  man  be  made  responsible  for  his  deeds  ?  The  third  is, 
you  say  Satan  is  made  of  fire  and  the  hell  is  made  of  fire. 
What  punishment  is  it,  then,  for  Satan  if  he  is  put  into  hell, 
as  fire  cannot  harm  fire?"  The  dervish  without  a  moment's 
hesitation,  took  his  heavy  pitcher  and  threw  it  at  the  ques- 
tioner's head.  The  man  uttered  his  lamenting  "  Ya  Allah  ! 


—  272  — 

and  went  before  the  Kadi  with  his  bleeding  head.  The  der- 
vish was  summoned  and  the  judge  asked  him  in  reproach 
whether  this  was  the  way  a  pious  man  should  treat  one 
coming  to  inquire  about  religious  matters.  The  dervish  re- 
plied:— "Why,  my  pitcher  was  the  strict  answer  to  the  man's 
three  questions.  He  doubted  God's  existence  because  he 
saw  Him  nowhere.  As  soon  as  he  felt  my  pitcher's  weight 
on  his  head  he  shouted  "  Ta  Allah!''  as  a  proof  that  he  had 
found  out  where  Allah  is.  His  second  doubt  was  about 
man's  responsibility  for  his  actions.  Now,  when  my  pitcher 
made  his  head  bleed  he  did  not  summon  God  before  the 
Kadi,  but  he  summoned  me,  and  thus  he  showed  conclusive- 
ly his  belief  that  every  man  is  responsible  for  his  deeds. 
And  in  the  same  "way,"  he  said,  "I  settled  nicely  his  third 
doubt  about  Satan  and  the  hell.  My  pitcher  is  of  clay  and 
he,  as  a  mortal  man,  is  also  of  clay.  If  clay  can  harm  clay 
why  should  not  fire  be  able  to  harm  fire  ?"  The  man  forgot 
his  bleeding  head  on  account  of  the  good  instruction  he  had 
received. 

Trivial  as  this  little  story  may  be,  still  it  serves  as  a  fit 
illustration  of  petty  and  idle  questions  and  doubts  on  reli- 
gious subjects.  Most  of  the  gallant  duels  fought  between 
the  rostrum  of  scepticism  and  the  pulpit  of  orthodox  belief, 
if  divested  of  the  dazzling  ornament  of  high  sounding  phra- 
ses, yield  nothing  more  than  meagre  repetition  of  this  trivial 
story,  and  it  is  yet  questionable  whether  the  labored  argu- 
ments of  modern  theology  hit  as  successfully  the  point  as 
the  dervish's  pitcher  did.  So  much  is  sure — the  world  pays 
very  little  attention  to  these  contests.  A  hearty  laugh  at 
"a  good  one"  of  Bob  Ingersoll's  cheap  jests,  an  encourag- 
ing nod,  as  to  say  "Give  it  to  him!"  at  the  unceremonious 
reply  of  some  zealous  ceremonialist;  that  is  about  all  the  ef- 
fect produced.  True  religion  wins  nothing  by  this  spiritual 
skirmishing. 

PAST   AXD   PRESENT    COMPARED. 

Would  it  not  be  better  for  the  earnest  defender  of  reli- 
gion to  study  carefully  the  genesis  of  modern  scepticism 
and  thus  to  enable  himself  to  remove  by  assiduous  and 


—  273  - 

peaceful  work  the  evil  influences  which  threaten  the  welfare- 
of  humanity  ?  It  is  not  to  be  doubted  but  mankind  takes  in  the 
present  time  quite  a  different  position  from  what  it  did  in 
times  past.  Humility  was  the  average  character  of  man  in 
centuries  past;  compared  with  our  present  resources  pover- 
ty was  his  lot;  his  enterprises  were  on  a  smaller  scale  and 
of  individual  character.  The  great  victory  which  in  our 
age  human  intellect  has  achieved  over  inanimate  nature  has 
brought  about  a  radical  change  in  all  these  characteristics. 
Pride  is  now  the  leading  trait  of  man;  riches,  which  were  in- 
accessible to  the  generations  before  us  are  at  our  free  dis- 
posal, and  enterprise  and  intercourse  have  taken  such  gi- 
gantic proportions  that  the  individual  is  entirely  merged  in 
the  huge  body  of  large  corporations. 

In  the  face  of  such  radical  changes  the  important  ques- 
tion turns  up,  What  place  will  religion  take  in  modern  so- 
ciety ?  "Will  it  maintain  its  hold  on  the  human  mind  or  is  it 
doomed  to  pass  away  with  so  many  other  things  of  the  past  ? 
The  superficial  inquirer,  not  familiar  with  the  true  nature  of 
religion  nor  with  the  true  requirements  of  mankind,  will 
hastily  give  his  verdict — "Old  religion  was  good  enough  for 
old  mankind;  modern  society  needs  a  different  basis;  we 
are  no  more  the  slaves,  we  are  the  conquerors  of  nature."  Such 
is  the  battle  cry  of  modern  scepticism.  The  deeper  mind, 
however,  judges  differently.  Religion  is  the  Divine  rectifi- 
cation of  human  mind  under  whatever  circumstances  it  may 
exist.  If  the  humility  of  the  past  generations  needed  the 
raising  influence  of  religion  so  as  not  to  sink  into  abject  and 
slavish  baseness,  then  the  pride  of  the  present  mankind 
needs  certainly  not  less  the  same  influence  to  save  it  from 
vain  and  fatal  self-adoration.  If  the  poverty  of  the  past  was 
made  rich  by  the  sweet  contentment  that  true  faith  bestowed 
on  it,  then  the  riches  of  the  present  will  doubtlessly  turn  in- 
to distress  and  misery  if  they  lack  the  bliss  of  the  same  hea- 
venly element.  If  the  less  enterprising  and  more  peacefully 
disposed  human  individual  of  times  gone  by,  needed  the  Di- 
vine command  of  affection  and  brotherly  love,  how  much 
more  is  it  necessary  to  unfurl  the  sacred  banner  of  holy 


—  274  — 

peace  over  a  mankind  thac  is  divided  in  competing  and  con- 
testing groups !  How  indispensable  is  the  undaunted  pro- 
mulgation of  revealed  morals  in  a  time  \vhen  statesmen  de- 
clare publicly  that  the  policy  of  egotism,  on  the  whole,  is 
best  for  nations  nowadays !  Yes,  greater  than  ever  is  the 
mission  of  those  that  proclaim  God's  truth.  Modern  society- 
is  an  unfinished  creation,  and  the  enlightened  and  faithful 
Word  of  creed  is  the  Divine  tool  to  plant  the  heavens,  to  lay 
the  foundations  of  earth,  and  to  say  to  the  Zion  of  a  pure- 
fied  mankind,  "Thou  art  my  people." 


Innate  Beligious  Peeling. 
Oct.  15,  1882. 

••A  lamp  unto  my  feet  is  Thy  word,  etc." 
Psalm  csix.,  105. 

"  A  LAMP  is  the  word  of  God,"  and  "  a  lamp  of  the  Lord  is 
man's  soul,"  therefore  the  Divine  word  and  the  human  soul 
stand  in  such  close  connection  with  each  other  that  the  one 
is  incomplete  without  the  other;  or,  in  other  words,  religion 
is  a  natural  necessity  for  man's  soul.  On  the  acknowledg- 
ment of  this  theory  depends  the  authority  and  efficacy  of 
religion.  If  indeed  it  is  a  natural  want  then  it  will  always 
maintain  its  rank  in  human  affairs  as  a  conditio  vine  qua  non. 
If,  however,  it  is  not  the  spiritual  bread  but  some  wantonly 
introduced  spiritual  luxury,  then  it  is  a  mere  matter  of 
taste,  and  there  may  very  well  come  a  time  when,  with  the 
change  of  taste,  religion  will  die  out  among  mankind. 
There  is,  however,  an  irrefutable  proof  which  speaks  as  evi- 
dence for  the  fact  that  the  requirement  of  religion  lies  as  a 
necessity  in  man's  nature.  We  might  call  this  proof  the 
historical  proof.  It  consists  in  the  fact  that,  so  far  as  we 
can  trace  back  the  history  of  mankind,  nay,  even  in  those 
remote  ages  where  history  is  veiled  by  the  mist  of  myths, 
always  and  everywhere  we  find  human  life  connected  with 
religion.  Innumerable  changes  have  taken  place  in  human 
affairs;  ideas  have  appeared  and  disappeared,  old  errors  and 
superstitions  have  been  conquered  and  new  ones  introduced, 
but  among  all  these  changes  the  religious  life  of  mankind 


—  275  — 

never  came  to  a  standstill.  We  are  not  able  to  find  even  one 
generation  who  lacked  entirely  this  element,  and  thus  even 
if  the  Scriptiires  had  not  told  us  that  the  first  man  was 
made  in  the  image  of  God,  history  would  substantiate  the 
truth  for  us  that  the  necessity  of  religion  was  born  with  the 
first  man. 

But  are  not  the  monstrous  ideas  and  the  hideous  obser- 
vances which  during  so  many  centuries  degraded  mankind 
under  the  name  of  religion  rather  to  be  ranked  among  the 
abnormal  and  unnatural?  Was  it  not  blasphemy  to  impute 
that  the  Supreme  Being  laid  into  the  mind  of  his  pre-emi- 
nent creature  a  want  which  could  find  its  satisfaction  in 
such  gross  aberrations  as  most  of  the  ancient  religions 
show,  and  as  have  been  perpetrated  even  in  the  name  of  the 
best  religions?  This  objection,  much  as  it  has  been  used  of 
late  by  the  opponents  of  creed,  is  very  easily  removed. 
You  cannot  make  a  thing  that  is  good  in  itself  responsible 
for  the  bad  use  that  was  made  of  it.  Said  a  heathen  to  a 
believer  in  the  true  God: — "Your  God  is  not  so  powerful  as 
you  claim;  if  He  were  so  then  He  would  annihilate  all  His 
rivals  in  one  moment.  There  is  the  sun,  who  by  his  splendor 
seduces  so  many  to  worship  him,  why  does  not  your  God 
quench  his  light  at  once  and  thus  convince  His  worshippers 
that  the  sun  is  no  deity?"  Answered  the  believer: — "Poor, 
benighted  man !  Why  should  the  Lord  destroy  His  own 
wise  creations  on  account  of  the  folly  of  man?  The  folly 
will  pass  away,  and  then  the  sun  will  continue  to  benefit 
the  world  with  its  warmth  and  its  light" 

Thus  the  chapter  of  religious  errors  in  the  history  of 
mankind  ought  to  serve  rather  as  a  proof  that  religious 
feeling  must  be  something  that  is  innate  in  man,  for  the 
errors  pass  away  as  they  come,  but  the  feeling  remains  and 
begins  anew,  and,  as  it  is  the  rule  in  all  our  affairs,  builds 
its  progress  on  the  errors  of  the  past;  for  even  the  errors, 
as  experiences,  are  highly  instructive,  and  constitute  im- 
portant phases  of  development. 

Another  objection  which  could  be  made  to  our  historical 
proof  concerning  the  natural  necessity  of  religion  is  the  fol- 


—  276  — 

lowing.  Granted  that  there  was  no  period  in  the  past  of 
mankind  devoid  of  religion  in  the  one  or  other  shape,  can 
that  prove  more  than  the  past?  Where  is  the  proof  or  the 
guarantee  for  the  future  ?  May  not  the  recognition  that 
what  we  called  till  now  "innate  religious  feeling"  was  noth- 
ing but  an  error  on  our  part  be  also  one  of  the  phases  of 
human  development?  And  may  there  not  be  a  probability, 
or,  at  least,  a  possibility,  that  a  time  will  come  when  religion 
will  be  looked  upon  as  an  antiquated  and  conquered  stand- 
point? Can  I  read  in  the  book  of  the  future,,  in  order  to 
find  the  proper  answer?  I  can.  I  need  only  to  open  the 
book  of  my  own  heart.  My  heart  is  a  human  heart,  and  in 
it  I  can  read  the  outlines  of  the  history  of  all  human  hearts 
of  the  past  as  well  as  of  the  future.  I  say  in  the  human 
heart  and  mind  in  general  I  find  a  number  of  noble  facul- 
ties and  abilities.  I  find  furthermore  that  all  the  qualities 
which  distinguish  man  so  eminently  appear  but  as  germs  in 
him  in  their  initiatory  state;  they  need  certain  influences  to 
promote  their  normal  development  and  to  secure  them 
against  degeneration.  The  influences  emanating  from  our 
surroundings  are  not  reliable.  Various  and  differing  as 
they  are  they  neutralize  one  another  and  do  not  serve  the 
purpose.  True  religion  is  the  spiritual  rain  which  falls  on 
the  ground  of  man's  heart  and  mind  and  advances  gradually 
the  growth  of  all  the  noble  germs  that  lie  hidden  in  him. 
The  pure  precepts  of  the  Divine  will  are  the  blessed  in- 
fluences which  a  kind  Creator  has  granted  us  as  a  means  to 
build  up  the  spiritual  man  in  us  and  to  discard  everything 
from  our  being  that  could  prove  harmful  to  our  moral  de- 
velopment. The  human  heart  in  its  present  state  could  not 
possibly  have  a  better  teacher  than  the  Divine  "Word;  and  as 
the  human  heart,  with  its  qualities,  will  forever  remain  the 
same  human  heart,  therefore  the  validity  and  necessity  of 
religion  is  out  of  the  question  for  all  time  to  come.  As  long 
as  it  remains  true  that  man's  soul  "is  a  lamp  of  the  Lord," 
the  verse  remains  also  true,  "A  lamp  unto  my  feet  is  thy 
word,  and  a  light  unto  my  path." 


—  277  — 

Natural  and  Revealed  Religion. 
Dec.,  3,  1882. 

"My  bow  have  I  get  in  the  cloud,  and  it  shall 
be  for  a  token  of  the  covenant  between  me 
and  the  earth." 

Genesis,  is.,  13. 

THE  phenomena  of  nature  could  not  fail  to  arouse  the 
attention  of  man  even  at  the  early  period  when  the  human 
intellect  was  yet  in  the  first  stage  of  its  development.  The 
influence  of  these  phenomena  on  man's  welfare  and  the  over- 
powering effect  on  man's  mind  soon  subdued  the  whole 
human  being.  The  reasoning  faculty  was  dormant  as  yet; 
the  process  of  connecting  cause  and  effect  was  limited  to  a 
small  series  of  inevitable  experiences,  and  thus  every  pheno- 
menon in  nature  appeared  as  an  independent  power  invested 
with  dominion  over  man,  and  the  latter,  in  his  dependence, 
had  to  make,  by  all  means,  these  different  powers  as  propi- 
tious toward  himself  as  possible.  By  prayers  and  offerings 
he  invited  the  useful  phenomena  to  be  always  near,  and  by 
the  same  means  he  begged  of  the  harmful  powers  to  keep 
away  from  him.  This  is  the  foundation  of  all  natural  reli- 
gion, from  its  crude  beginning  up  to  the  elaborate  poetic 
development  of  the  Greek  theogony;  but  in  all  stages  it  car- 
ries along  the  same  mistakes,  it  disconnects  the  universe  and 
degrades  man  to  a  low  position. 

Revealed  religion  appeals  to  the  intellect  of  man;  it 
teaches  the  existence  of  a  first  cause  and  thereby  preserves 
the  integrity  of  nature  as  based  on  the  law  of  eternal  wis- 
dom; and  to  man  it  conveys  the  consciousness  that  he,  through 
his  spirit,  stands  nearest  to  the  first  cause,  and  thereby  it 
rouses  the  human  energies  to  wise  and  moral  activity,  to  a 
constant  development  of  the  high  faculties  with  which  he  has 
been  favored.  In  his  nearer  kinship  to  the  first  cause  man 
feels  the  natural  desire  to  become  a  sort  of  first  cause  him- 
self and  to  create  a  world  of  his  own  based  on  those  same 
principles  and  attributes  which  he  admires  and  adores  in 
his  highest  ideal. 


—  278  — 

SYMBOLISM    OF   THE   RAINBOW. 

We  have  in  our  to-day's  Scriptural  lesson  a  natural 
phenomenon  explained.     The  rainbow  is  designated  as  the 
token  of  a  covenant  between  God  and  man.    Those  who  un- 
derstand the  Bible  to  say  that  the  rainbow  was  a  special  crea- 
tion at  this  occasion  and  for  this  purpose  wrong  the  sacred 
book;  for  only  in  its  natural  connection,  as  a  link  in  the  chain 
of  cause  and  effect,  the  rainbow  serves  as  a  suitable  and 
highly  instructive  emblem  of  the  covenant  between  the  Di- 
vine Being  and  the  human  creature.     In   the   Greek  and 
Roman  myth,  when  Jupiter  brings  the  flood  over  sinful  man- 
kind, it  is  Iris,  clad  in  her  various  colors,  who  gathers  the 
water  and  brings  nourishment  to  the  clouds,  in  order  to  ac- 
celerate the  perdition  of  man.     In  our  Scriptural  tale  the 
idea  embodied  in  the  rainbow  is  given  to  a  new  and  better 
generation  after  the  Flood,  as  the  sign  of  hope,  as  the  token 
of  trust,  as  the  emblem  of  God's  mercy  to  man.     "We  might 
say,  by  this  application,  the  sacred  book  points  closely  to 
the  natural  genesis  of  "  Iris  clad  in  her  various  colors,"  and 
builds  the  main  idea  on  this  genesis.     The  heavy  cloud  on 
one  side,  the  sun  with  its  pure  light  on  the  other  side,  the 
eye  of  the  observer  turned  toward  the  cloud,  and  behold  the 
greatest  of  natural  miracles !     Out  of  the  cloud  appears  the 
light   of  the  sun,   analyzed  into  its  component  colors  and 
formed  into   an  arch  which  seems  to  connect  heaven  and 
earth.     Is  not  this  exactly  the  history  of  human  knowledge 
and  sentiment?    The  whole  universe  is  for  us  a  cloud,  and 
in  vain  would  we  strive  to  penetrate  this  cloud  if  it  were  not 
for  the  light  emanating  from  the  eternal  source  of  wisdom 
which  is  reflected  in  the  material  creation  and  wrhich  analyzed 
into  various  colors,  meets  the  eye  of  our  mind  and  builds  for 
us  the  arch  which  overbridges  the  distance  between  heaven 
and  earth;  and  though  every  man's  eye  sees  a  bow  of  differ- 
ent center,  still  the  one  and  the  same  source  of  light  for 
all  constitutes  the  harmony  in  the  difference.    Thus  110  true 
human  knowledge  is  possible  without  the  acknowledgment 
of  Him  from  whom  all  light  emanates. 


—  279  — 

THE   HUMAN    HEART. 

On  the  same  principle  is  based  the  life  of  the  human 
heart.  Time  and  its  events  are  a  dense  cloud,  apt  to  fill  us 
with  constant  fear  for  that  which  the  next  hour  might  have 
in  store  for  us.  But  there  again,  while  we  look  with  care 
and  anxiety  toward  the  cloud,  lo !  the  radiant  light  of  merci- 
ful Providence  appears  reflected  in  the  cloud,  and  with  mild 
colors  soothes  our  anxiety  and  allays  our  fears.  No  well 
assured  happiness  for  man,  no  genuine  consolation  in  dis- 
tress, no  true  hope  in  misfortune  for  him,  unless  his  belief 
and  trust  in  God's  providence  are  firmly  established.  Let 
us  always  remember  the  emblem  offered  by  our  text  and  the 
words  of  the  later  prophet — "As  the  appearance  of  the  bow 
that  is  in  the  cloud  in  the  day  of  rain,  so  was  the  appearance 
of  the  brightness  round  about.  This  was  the  appearance  of 
the  likeness  of  the  glory  of  the  Lord."  Let  us  see  and  feel 
this  glory  and  adore  accordingly. 


The  Symbol  of  the  Taleth. 
January  7,  1883. 

"  And  it  shall  be  unto  you  for  a  fringe,  thai 
ye  may  look  upon  it,  and  remember  al 
the  commandments  of  the  Lord,  and  do 
them  ;  and  that  ye  seek  not  after  your 
own  heart  and  your  own  eyes,  in  pursui* 
of  which  ye  have  been  led  astray.1' 

Numbers  xv,  39. 

• 

SYMBOLS  are  the  representatives  of  ideas.  They  speak  a 
short  and  impressive  language,  and  keep  their  hold  on  the 
imagination  even  after  the  origin  of  the  one  or  the  other 
has  fallen  into  oblivion.  Thus  we  all  know  why  the  lion 
and  the  lamb  are  the  symbols  of  strength  and  meekness;  we 
all  know  why  bowing  and  handshaking  are  the  conventional 
-symbols  of  respect  and  cordial  friendship,  but  why  a  man 
who  has  achieved  a  specially  meritorious  deed  should  have 
won  the  laurel  for  himself  but  very  few  are  able  to  explain. 
Still,  the  laurel  is  yet  the  traditional  symbol  for  renown. 
The  lower  we  step  in  the  range  of  human  thought  and  ac- 


—  280  — 

tion  the  more  rarely  do  we  meet  symbols,  the  higher  we  as- 
cend on  this  scale  the  more  we  stand  in  need  of  them,  and 
the  more  we  use  them  in  order  to  convey  our  thoughts  to 
others.     Religion  comprises  the  whole  man  and  all  men.    It 
teaches  high  spiritual  truths,  inculcates  moral  feelings  and 
prescribes  the  line  of  action  which  the  mortal  has  to  follow 
here  on  earth.     The  method  employed  is  entirely  in  keeping 
with  the  faculties  of  those  for  whom  the  Divine  law  is  des- 
tined.    The  great  majority  of  mankind  do  not  belong  to  the 
philosophizing  class.     The  average  man  must  be   taught 
on  an  average  level.      The  soul's  salvation  is  the  common 
property  of  man,  and  not  the  privilege  of  the  eminent  genius 
alone,  and  therefore  truth  and  principle  have  been  vested 
with  the  visible  and  attractive  garment  of  symbols  so  as  to 
become  intelligible   and  attainable  for  all.      The   symbol 
which  we  have  in  our  Scriptural  reading  before  us  is  a  tell- 
ing example  of  the  important  ideas  which  hide  under  the 
similes  in  the  Bible.     The  Divine  law  has  ordained  that  the 
Israelites  make  fringes  on  the  corners  of  their  garments  and 
that  they  shall  put  upon  the  fringe  of  the  corner  a  thread 
of  blue.    "And  it  shall  be  unto  you  for  a  fringe,  that  ye  may 
look  upon  it  and  remember  all  the  commandments  of  the 
Lord."    Now,  it  is  an  undeniable  fact  that  every  mortal  man 
— Israelite  or  non-Israelite — has,  as  it  were,  an  invisible 
fringe  on  the  corner  of  his  garment ;  a  mighty  hand  holds 
this  fringe  ;  man  can  never  loosen  the  grasp,  can  never  tear 
the  tie  which  binds  him  to  a  higher  power.     The  days  of  his 
life  are  numbered,  the  steps  on  his  path  are  measured  ;  be- 
ginning and  end  and  many  events  between  these  two  ex- 
tremes of  his  earthly  existence  are  beyond  his  control.   "What 
does  this  invisible  fringe  fastened  to  the  corner  of  the  mor- 
tal's garment  mean  ?      Is  it  a  symbol  that  our  life  is  a  short 
but  intense  thraldom,  and  that  our  whole  being  is  nothing 
else  but  the  slave  in  the  despotic  hand  of  a  blind  creative 
power  ?    But  if  such  be  the  ease  how  shall  we  then  account 
for  the  existence  of  the   higher  qualities   in   man?     Our 
treasures  of  thoughts,  aims  and  aspirations  speak  so  loud  in 
favor  and  proof  of  man's  free  agency  and  of  his  higher  des- 


—  281  — 

tination  that  we  must  necessarily  acknowledge  the  truth  of 
their  testimony. 

CONTESTING   ELEMENTS   IN   MAN. 

Thus  we  see  two  contesting  elements  united  in  man — 
utter  dependence  on  one  side,  the  desire  and  faculty  for 
self-government  on  the  other  side — and  by  these  two  contra- 
dictory principles  which  rule  in  him  man  becomes  an  enigma 
to  himself,  and  the  solution  of  this  enigma  is  of  such  im- 
portance for  him  that  he  never  can  hope  to  go  in  the  right 
path  unless  he  succeeds  in  finding  a  satisfactory  explanation 
of  his  own  self.  If,  in  searching  for  the  truth,  we  were  left 
to  the  resources  of  our  own  reason,  we  could  never  hope  to 
find  the  firm  and  reliable  answer  ;  we  would  forever  live  in 
doubt  and  oscillation  between  the  two  opposite  extremes, 
now  forgetting  entirely  and  giving  up  altogether  our  higher 
qualities,  bending  our  neck  under  the  yoke  of  life  as  mere 
slaves,  without  will  and  purpose,  and  now  again,  like  disen- 
chained  slaves,  in  open  rebellion,  trampling  order  under  our 
feet  and  tearing  violently  the  most  holy  bonds  of  rule  and 
discipline.  In  order  to  save  us  from  this  misery  and  to  ap- 
pease our  troubled  mind  the  Divine  Word  takes  the  task 
upon  itself  to  enlighten  us  with  a  ray  of  light  from  the 
eternal  source  of  truth,  wkose  clearness  admits  neither  of 
shade  nor  doubt,  and  whose  convincing  power  establishes 
harmony  and  peace  in  the  believing  soul.  In  imparting  this 
important  teaching  the  Divine  Word  does  not  recur  to  argu- 
ments and  ratiocinations  that  require  spiritual  efforts  be- 
yond the  average  capacity.  The  highest  truth  is  offered  in 
a  most  simple  garb,  so  as  to  be  accessible  to  all.  To  the 
symbol  of  the  fringes  is  added  the  one  thread  of  blue,  and 
of  this  it  is  said,  "  That  ye  may  look  upon  it  and  remember 
all  the  commandments  of  the  Lord."  Says  the  old  sage  of 
the  Talmud :  "  He  who  looks  upon  it  in  a  proper  manner 
sees  the  glory  of  the  Lord.  Blue  is  the  hue  of  the  sea ;  the 
sea  is  the  reflex  of  heaven,  and  heaven  is  the  reflex  of  the 
throne  of  God's  glory."  We  understand  now  what  this  thread 
of  blue  is  intended  to  indicate.  It  signifies  the  Divine  ele- 
ment in  man's  nature  ;  it  pronounces  the  influence  of  the 


—  282  — 

Divine  providence  and  wisdom  on  the  human  affairs.  De- 
pendent thou  art,  but  thy  dependency  is  that  of  a  child  on 
his  father;  superintended  thou  art,  but  He  who  watches 
thee  is  thy  eternal  guardian  and  protector ;  though  thou 
seest  Him  not  with  the  eye  of  thy  body,  the  tokens  of  His 
love  lie  within  thy  soul ;  thy  higher  qualities  and  faculties, 
they  are  the  thread  of  blue  that  leads  thee  to  Him.  And 
thus  on  the  sea  of  life,  whether  thy  vessel  sail  proudly  on} 
whether  it  be  tempest  tossed  and  threatened  with  wreck, 
look  on  the  thread  of  blue  and  remember  that  the  sea  with 
all  its  changes  is  the  reflex  of  heaven.  Thy  joys  and  thy 
sorrows,  if  thou  takest  them  with  a  pure  and  childlike  heart, 
all  prove  the  blessed  gifts  of  a  loving  Father,  calculated  to 
purify  thy  soul  and  to  open  thy  spiritual  eye.  Verily  under 
the  influence  of  the  thread  of  blue  the  fringes  of  servitude 
change  into  the  blessed  ladder  which  leads  us  step  by  step 
onward  to  the  throne  of  God's  glory. 


The  Sabbath  of  the  Shekels. 
March  11,  1883. 

"  When  thou  takest  the  stun  of  the  children 
of  Israel,  of  those  -who  are  to  be  num- 
bered of  them,  then  shall  they  give 
every  man  a  ransom  for  his  soul— 
half  a  shekel  after  the  shekel  of  the 
sanciuary." 

Exodus,  XXX.,  12, 13. 

OUR  to-days  Sabbath  is  designated  in  the  old  calendar  as 
the  Sabbath  of  the  Shekels,  and  therefore  I  am  going  to 
speak  to  you  on  this  topic.  The  half  shekel  is  the  oldest 
tax  known  in  Israel.  When  the  holy  tabernacle  in  the 
desert  was  finished  and  nothing  more  was  wanting  but  the 
sockets  on  which  the  sanctuary  was  to  stand  and  the  hooks 
which  were  to  hold  the  pillars,  then  the  prophet  was  com- 
manded to  take  the  sum  of  the  children  of  Israel,  and  every 
man  of  twenty  years  and  over  had  to  give  the  tribute  unto 
the  Lord.  The  rich  were  not  allowed  to  give  more  and  the 
poor  were  not  allowed  to  give  less  than  the  half  of  a  shekel, 
thus  603,550  half  shekels  were  collected,  and  from  this 


—  283  — 

amount  the  sockets  for  the  sanctuary  and  the  hooks  for  the 
pillars  were  made.  The  sanctuary  did  not  stand  in  need  of 
this  contribution,  for  at  the  first  call  of  the  prophet  the 
means  to  erect  the  holy  dwelling  came  in  so  abundantly 
that  there  was  "enough  and  too  much."  It  is  therefore  evi- 
dent that  the  levying  of  the  half  shekel  was  more  intended 
for  future  lessons  than  for  the  then  present  want.  It  is  to 
show  that  every  one  is  in  duty  bound  to  uphold  the  sanctu- 
ary of  the  Lord — at  the  same  time  it  conveys  the  truth  that 
rich  and  poor  are  equal  in  the  eye  of  their  Maker.  The  one 
serves  him  by  using  properly  the  riches  with  which  God's 
mercy  has  blessed  him.  The  other  serves  him  not  less  by 
bearing  with  dignity  and  honesty  the  poverty  which  an  All- 
wise  Providence  has  found  good  to  lay  upon  him.  The 
half  shekel  is  furthermore  an  emblem  of  the  insufficiency  of 
the  individual,  it  is  the  strong  appeal  for  union  and  associa- 
tion. 

INTOLERANCE  AND  GREED. 

In  spiritual  as  in  worldly  matters  the  progress  and  suc- 
cess of  mankind  is  dependent  on  association,  for  it  is  the 
cardinal  principle  of  development  and  the  only  sign  in 
which  man  will  finally  conquer.  But  the  more  important 
an  idea  is  so  much  more  must  we  be  careful  to  guard  it 
from  misapplication  and  ill  use.  Narrow-minded  association 
in  spiritual  matters  breeds  intolerance,  and  selfish  associa- 
tions in  secular  affairs  produce  that  greedy  spirit  of  corpo- 
ration which  feeds  on  the  fat  of  the  people  without  ever 
dreaming  that  there  is  such  a  thing  as  public  welfare. 

Five  years  ago  about  this  time,  when  Congress  passed 
the  Silver  bill  over  the  veto  of  the  President  we  preached 
from  the  same  text;  we  then  compared  the  "Silver  bill  of 
the  Scripture "  with  the  "  Silver  bill  of  Congress",  and  the 
Xew  York  Herald  had  the  kindness  to  style  our  sermon  an 
"  unusually  interesting"  one. 

THE  HALF  SHEKEL  FARE. 

There  is  again  the  opportunity  for  an  unusually  inter- 
esting lecture.  The  altered  circumstances  do  not  alter  the 
case.  This  time  our  State  Legislature  has  supported  the 


—  284  — 

veto  of  the  Governor,  of  the  "Five  Cents  Fare"  bill,  and  it 
would  be  of  high  interest  to  compare  the  "  half  shekel  fare  " 
of  the  spiritual  "L"  with  the  "dime  fare"  of  the  Metro- 
politan "L."  The  result  of  such  comparison  must  give  us 
the  general  principle,  on  which  alone  in  our  modern  time 
large  enterprise  can  be  successfully  built.  Of  whatever 
nature  an  association  be,  it  can  only  then  lastingly  prosper 
if  the  common  welf are;  the  benefit  of  the  people,  makes  part 
and  parcel  of  its  plans  and  management.  Corners,  rings, 
corporations,  whose  only  aim  is  to  amass,  they  break  clown 
under  their  own  weight,  while  the  sockets  and  hooks  made 
of  the  "  half  shekel "  of  honest  and  brotherly  co-operation 
give  firm  stand  and  impart  moral  strength.  Let  us  thus 
make  morality  the  fundament  of  our  transactions  in  life ;  let 
us  never  forget  the  half  shekel  of  charity,  and  thus  we  will 
pay  to  the  Lord  the  most  acceptable  "  ransom  for  our  soul." 


Simplicity  of  True  Faith. 
May,  23,  1883. 

"  Know  thou  the  God  of  thy  father  and  serve 
Him  with  an  entire  heart  and  a  willing 
eoul." 

I.  Chronicles  XXY1II,  9. 

KNOWLEDGE  is  for  man  the  blessed  torch  which  sheds  light 
on  his  path;  with  it  he  progresses  safely;  without  it  all  the 
uncertainties  and  dangers  of  darkness  surround  him.  There 
is  no  performance  in  human  activity,  yet  so  trifling,  but  a 
certain  amount  of  knowledge  is  required  in  order  that  it  be 
well  done;  in  proportion,  however,  with  the  importance  of 
a  subject  the  necessity  of  its  exact  knowledge  increases.  On 
this  principle  our  system  of  education  is  based.  Every  man 
must  possess  a  certain  amount  of  general  knowledge,  but  he 
must  acquire  a  special  and  thorough  knowledge  of  that 
branch  of  activity  which  he  chooses  as  his  own  vocation  and 
on  which  his  success  in  life  depends.  But  there  is  a  fact 
which  all  men  of  heart  and  mind  unanimously  acknowledge. 
All  agree  in  the  truth  that  a  man,  however  skilled  and  suc- 
cessful in  his  secular  work,  if  his  moral  record  speaks  of  ig- 


—  285  — 

norance  and  neglect  then  his  whole  life  is  to  be  judged  a  sad 
failure.  If,  now,  the  true  success  and  value  of  human  life  is 
dependent  on  its  moral  ingredients,  then  moral  knowledge 
in  its  utmost  exactness  must  be  of  the  highest  necessity  for 
man.  But  the  mere  idea  of  morality  as  a  natural  law  for 
the  human  being  presupposes  forcibly  the  existence  of  the 
moral  law  giver — the  highest  ideal  of  morality.  Can  a  man 
have  an  exact  knowledge  of  morality  if  he  has  not  an  exact 
knowledge  of  Him  who  gave  its  laws?  The  text  of  the  moral 
law  is  inscribed  on  the  human  soul.  But  the  human  soul  is 
a  Divine  image,  and  man  can  understand  his  own  soul  only 
when  he  looks  up  to  Him  whose  glory  it  represents,  and  thus 
man  can  read  and  understand  the  text  of  the  moral  law 
within  his  own  soul  only  when  an  intimate  knowledge  of  the 
highest  source  of  morality  affords  him  the  explanation  of 
that  which  a  Divine  hand  has  written  into  his  soul. 

MAN'S    KNOWLEDGE     OF    DIVINITY. 

But  can  man  have  an  intimate  knowledge  of  the  Divine 
Being  ?  If  we  are  to  believe  the  assertions  now  so  often 
made,  then  we  must  answer  in  the  negative.  There  is  cer- 
tainly a  highest  power,  an  intelligence  comprising  all  intel- 
ligence, but  the  distance  between  this  power  and  man  is  so 
vast  that  the  latter  will  try  in  vain  to  put  himself  into  closer 
connection  with  this  Supreme  power.  This  source  of  all  em- 
anation will  forever  remain  for  man  the  unknowable,  the 
mysterious,  the  indefinite  and  indefinable!  Is  this  true? 
Can  this  be  true  ?  All  knowledge  that  is  necessary  for  man 
is  within  his  reach.  Why  should,  then,  the  knowledge  of 
God,  which  as  we  have  seen,  is  an  indispensable  condition 
for  the  true  success  of  every  human  life,  lie  beyond  the  reach 
of  his  capacity  ?  We  venture  to  assert  just  the  opposite.  It 
is  the  most  necessary  food  which  is  the  cheapest  and  easiest 
to  be  acquired.  From  the  first  awakening  of  the  human  in- 
tellect man  stands  in  high  need  of  the  knowledge  of  God, 
and  therefore  the  scanty  capital  of  a  child's  intellect  must 
be  sufficient  to  acquire  this  knowledge.  And,  in  fact,  is  not 
the  first  opening  of  the  human  eye  the  first  great  question 
after  Him  who  has  made  all  that  meets  our  eyes?  The  child's 


—  286  — 

heart  receives  readily  and  gladly  the  intelligence  of  a  Sup- 
reme Creator,  and  the  highest  efforts  of  human  wisdom  can- 
not go  beyond  this  answer.  The  infant  folds  his  little  hands 
in  prayer,  trusts  his  innocent  soul  to  his  Maker  and  lays  down 
his  cherub  head  to  sweet  rest;  the  infant  looks  into  his  mo- 
ther's eyes  and  says,  musingly: — "I'll  be  good  so  that  God 
may  love  me;  I'll  not  be  bad,  so  that  my  Father  in  heaven 
may  not  be  angry  at  me." 

A    PERFECT    FAITH. 

I  tell  you  this  infant  has  a  perfect  knowledge  of  God  and 
his  system  of  morals  comprises  in  nuce  all  moral  wisdom. 
What  a  pity  that  we  so  soon  lose  this  childlike  simplicity, 
which  is  indeed  the  most  precious  element  of  true  faith! 
With  the  growing  years  our  intellect  grows  richer;  we  are 
no  more  satisfied  with  the  good  Divine  Shepherd  of  our 
childhood;  we  hang  the  silver  and  gold  of  our  genius  around 
the  image  of  our  own  creation;  we  set  it  up  high,  high  above 
us;  we  call  our  idol  the  unknowable,  the  mysterious,  the 
indefinable — thus  the  God  of  our  childhood  is  lost  to  us  and 
we  are  lost  to  Him;  we  go  our  own  way  and  leave  the  un- 
known to  His  own  knowledge.  Let  not  such  fatal  mistake 
blight  the  fruit  of  our  salvation.  God  is  knowable;  He  is 
definable;  He  is  revealed  and  most  evident.  He  is  low  with 
the  lowly  and  therefore  always  in  your  reach  and  never 
above  your  capacity.  The  closer  your  connection  with  Him 
the  more  perfect  is  your  knowledge  of  Him.  Call  Him  God, 
Father,  Lord;  be  His  creature,  His  child  and  His  servant; 
make  Him  your  confidant  and  place  your  confidence  in  Him; 
fold  your  hands  and  praise  Him  in  your  prosperity;  fold 
your  hands  and  bring  unto  Him  the  tear  of  your  sorrow  as  a 
sacred  offering;  do  the  good  for  the  sake  of  His  love;  shun 
evil  for  fear  of  His  anger;  read  the  text  of  the  moral  law  in 
your  own  soul  and  find  the  explanation  in  Him  and  in  His 
revealed  Word.  Thus  you  will  acquire  the  true  knowledge 
of  Him  on  whom  depends  all  your  blessings  here  and  here- 
after. 


—  287  — 

Humanity  vs.  Wealth. 
Aug..  5  1883. 

"  If  there  be  among  you  a  poor  man  of  one  ol 
thy  brethren  within  any  of  thy  gates  in  thy 
land  which  the  Lord  thy  God  giveth  thee, 
thou  shalt  not  harden  thine  heart  nor 
shut  thine  hand  from  thy  poor  brother." 
Deuteronomy,  xv.,  7. 

THE  lesson  of  charity  is  one  of  the  main  objects  of  the 
Divine  Word,  and  justly  so.  The  great  aim  of  the  sacred 
books  is  to  teach  man  the  knowledge  of  his  Maker  and  to 
point  out  to  him  the  path  which  leads  him  nearer  to  the 
eternal  source  of  all  perfection — to  God.  Now,  among  all  the 
Divine  attributes  there  are  two  which  are  principally  ap- 
pealed to  by  man's  dependent  heart — His  love  and  His 
mercy.  The  act  of  creation  in  itself  on  the  part  of  a  perfect 
Being  was  an  act  emanating  from  pure  love  and  mercy,  and 
the  sustenance  of  the  vast  fabric  of  the  universe  rests  for- 
ever on  the  same  two  supporting  pillars.  Man's  first  and 
chief  religious  recognition  must,  therefore,  centre  in  the 
acknowledgment  that  love  and  mercy  are  destined  by  God's 
wisdom  to  form  the  basis  of  all  godlike  human  practice. 
Thus  the  lessons  of  charity  in  the  Divine  discipline  are  not 
only  for  the  benefit  and  protection  of  the  poor  and  needy, 
but  they  are  just  as  much  calculated  to  educate,  to  elevate 
and  to  save  him  who  giveth  as  they  tend  to  relieve  him  who 
taketh.  It  is  of  great  moment  to  observe  how  the  Divine 
legislation  endeavors  and  succeeds  in  infusing  into  its  strict 
laws  the  spirit  of  true  love,  showing  thereby  that  justice  and 
charity  can  and  ought  to  go  hand  in  hand. 

LABOE   AND    CAPITAL. 

We  know  what  a  source  of  embarrassment  the  indebted- 
ness of  the  poorer  classes  to  the  moneyed  class  so  frequently 
was  for  the  Eoman  Commonwealth.  Occasional  revolts 
caused  a  "remissio  aeris  alieni"  but  the  evil  was  never  radi- 
cally cured.  Our  text,  enjoining  charity  toward  the  poor, 
makes  a  constituent  part  of  a  law  which  was  calculated  to 
cure  the  above  mentioned  evil  radically.  The  seventh  year 
was  legally  instituted  as  the  year  of  release.  "  Every  credi- 


tor  shall  release  the  loan  which  he  has  lent  unto  his  neigh- 
bor." Thus  burden  of  indebtedness  could  never  become  the 
cause  of  a  serious  disturbance  of  the  social  order  in  the  land, 
for  the  remission  of  the  debt  at  a  certain  period  was  a  point 
of  law.  The  danger,  however,  that  in  proportion  as  the  year 
of  release  drew  nearer  the  wealthy  would  become  more  un- 
willing to  lend  his  money  to  the  needy  was  obviated  by  the 
earnest  admonition  that  it  was  the  element  of  charity  in  the 
human  transactions  which  caused  God's  blessing  to  rest  on 
the  work  of  man.  We  admit  that  such  an  institution  as  "the 
year  of  release,"  useful  as  it  may  have  been  in  the  time  of 
the  Hebrew  Commonwealth,  would  not  prove  practicable 
under  altered  circumstances;  but  we  urge  that  the  principle 
which  appears  embodied  in  this  law  hold  good  for  all  times 
and  under  all  circumstances.  It  sets  the  love  to  man  above 
the  love  for  money.  It  commands  the  heart  to  open  the 
hand  and  not  to  allow  itself  to  be  hardened  by  a  closed  hand. 
It  enjoins  on  poverty  never  to  part  with  dignity,  and  on 
wealth  never  to  lack  modesty  and  kindness.  It  is  not  the 
difference  between  poverty  and  wealth  which  creates  the 
wide  chasm  between  the  component  parts  of  society;  it  is 
the  neglect  of  this  blessed  principle  which  alone  can  harmo- 
nize the  contrast  in  the  gifts  of  life.  I  do  not  say  that  we 
are  not  liberal  in  our  gifts  to  the  poor,  but  our  liberality  is 
wanting  in  an  important  point  and  puts  us  somewhat  in 
the  situation  of  the  rich  man  before  Mohammed.  A  richly 
dressed  man  came  to  see  the  Ishmaelitish  prophet  and  sat 
down  before  him.  Immediately  after  him  came  a  poor  man 
and  took  his  seat  at  the  side  of  the  rich  man.  The  latter 
quickly  grasped  his  robe  to  save  it  from  the  touch  of  the 
poor  man's  vestment.  "  Art  thou  afraid  that  the  touch  of  his 
garment  will  impart  to  thee  some  of  his  poverty?"  asked 
Mohammed  of  the  rich  man.  "No."  "Art  thou  afraid  to 
impart  to  him  some  of  thy  wealth ?"  ''No."  "Is  it  that  thou 
fearest  to  soil  thy  robe  by  his  touch  ?"'  "No."  "Why,  then, 
didst  thou  act  in  this  manner?"  "  O  prophet,  greediness  and 
pride  are  the  bad  companions  of  my  heart  They  make  me 
often  do  what  I  do  not  intend  to  do.  To  repair  my  wrong  I 


—  289    - 

will  share  my  wealth  with  this  poor  man !"  "Art  thou  will- 
ing to  accept  the  offer?"  "No,"  replied  the  poor  man. 
"And  why  not?"  demanded  the  rich  man,  in  surprise.  "Be- 
cause I  am  afraid  that  thy  money  will  make  me  similar  to 
thyself!"  There  is  willingness  among  us  to  share  with  the 
poor,  but  the  evil  companion— our  pride — pulls  eagerly 
aside  his  rich  garment  that  the  closer  contact  with  the  poor 
may  be  avoided.  Thus  our  benevolence  loses  half  of  its 
blessings.  It  may  relieve  the  poor,  but  it  fails  to  ennoble  us 
and  to  make  us  godlike  in  our  love.  True  charity  is  the  off- 
spring of  a  wise  heart,  wise  through  the  great  knowledge. 
Our  Father  in  heaven  bestows  His  love  on  us  all,  therefore 
it  is  a  true  brother's  love  that  man  owes  to  man. 


Hebrew  Patriotism. 

Aug.  12,  1883. 

"Zion  shall  be  redeemed  through  justice, 
and  her  converts  through  righteous- 
ness." 

Isaiah  i,  27. 

TO-MORROW  the  synagogue  will  celebrate  the  memorial 
day  of  the  destruction  of  the  temple  at  Jerusalem.  The 
memory  of  this  old  event  is  yet  fresh  and  vigorous,  not  only 
in  the  Jewish  heart,  but  also  in  the  hearts  of  the  many  mil- 
lions of  men  to  whom  the  living  waters  of  the  revelation  on 
Sinai  have  been  brought  through  intermediate  channels. 
The  breaking  down  of  the  second  Jewish  Commonwealth 
and  the  conclusive  demolition  of  its  cherished  sanctuary  is 
justly  regarded  as  one  of  the  most  interesting  facts  in  his- 
tory. For  the  Hebrew  race  it  marked  the  beginning  of  a 
sad  era.  The  patriot  mourned  the  loss  of  his  beloved  coun- 
try; the  confessor  deplored  the  indefinite  suspension  of  the 
sacred  rites  which  formed  the  most  solemn  expression  of  his 
religion.  The  prayers  established  in  the  following  era  ex- 
hibit vividly  these  feelings.  A  speedy  return  to  Palestine 
and  the  restoration  of  the  sacred  rites  at  the  chosen  place 
were  their  main  features.  A  superficial  observer  might  per- 


—  290  — 

haps  be  induced  to  the  hasty  judgment  that  men  with  such 
prayers  and  such  fervent  love  for  their  original  country  must 
have  been  little  apt  to  become  faithful  citizens  and  warm 
patriots  in  the  different  places  of  their  new  settlements. 
History  teaches  the  contrary.  With  the  Jew  patriotism  was 
religious  duty ;  not  only  patriotism  for  Palestine,  but  also 
for  any  country  in  which  he  happened  to  dwell.  The  legacy 
of  the  old  prophet  was  :  "  And  seek  the  welfare  of  the  city 
whither  I  have  banished  you,  and  pray  in  its  behalf  unto 
the  Lord  ;  for  in  its  welfare  shall  ye  fare  well."  This  be- 
quest was  always  kept  holy  by  the  succeeding  generations. 
Notwithstanding  their  prayers  for  a  speedy  return  to  Pales- 
tine, their  devotion  to  the  land  that  adopted  them  was 
boundless. 

>"O    JEWISH   TRAITORS. 

In  the  annals  of  the  past  centuries,  in  the  various  states 
of  the  old  world,  many  an  important  service  is  chronicled 
rendered  by  Jews  to  the  commonwealth  ;  but  we  venture  to 
say  that  hardly  one  instance  is  to  be  found  in  the  records 
where  a  Jew  proved  a  traitor  to  his  country.  Nay,  more  ; 
it  is  an  undeniable  fact  that  the  Jews  held  more  tenaciously 
to  the  national  habits  and  customs  of  the  land  of  their 
adoption  than  the  aborigines  themselves.  Thus  the  Polish 
Jew  retained  and  retains  the  national  garment  long  after  the 
Polish  nobleman  has  exchanged  it  for  the  French  costume; 
and  thus  the  German  Jew  retained  the  old  German  idiom 
even  after  Luther  had  reformed  the  German  language  in 
his  translation  of  the  Bible  ;  and  when  Moses  Mendelssohn 
dared  to  translate  the^Pentateuch  into  modern  German,  his 
departure  from  the  old  accustomed  dialect  was  counted  to 
him  by  most  of  his  contemporaries  as  a  religious  transgres- 
sion. The  most  striking  instances  of  Jewish  patriotism  are 
to  be  found  in  the  history  of  that  country  which  during  the 
last  year  has  disgusted  the  civilized  world  by  the  infamous 
Tisza  Eszlar  proceedings.  The  chief  virtue  of  the  Magyar 
is  his  patriotism,  but  the  Hungarian  Jew  fully  rivals  him  in 
this  virtue.  I  will  not  mention  facts  of  older  date,  al- 
though I  could  dwell  on  the  important  services  which  the 


—  291  — 

Jews  have  rendered  to  Hungary  during  the  Turkish  wars  in 
former  centuries.  For  brevity's  sake  I  Avill  confine  myself 
to  modern  times  and  to  facts  where  I  myself  was  an  eye- 
witness and  a  modest  participant. 

TRIBUTE   TO    LOUIS    KOSSUTH. 

Louis  Kossuth  wrote,  a  few  weeks  ago,  a  vigorous  letter 
wherein  he  warmly  defends  the  Jews,  and  strongly  de- 
nounces their  infuriated  enemies.  The  veteran  patriot 
knows  the  respective  merits  of  both  parties.  In  the  Revo- 
lution of  1848,  when  he  stood  at  the  head  of  the  movement? 
he  had  the  opportunity  to  see  how  far  the  Jewish  devotion 
for  the  country's  cause  reached.  The  moneyed  men  laid 
down  spontaneously  their  rich  and  frequent  offerings  on  the 
altar  of  patriotism.  Young  talents  devoted  their  abilities 
with  holy  zeal  and  self-denying  disinterestedness  to  the 
sacred  caiise,  and  hosts  of  young  Hebrews — nay,  many  al- 
ready advanced  in  age — filled  the  ranks  of  the  volunteers,  all 
willing  and  ready  to  pay  with  their  lives  the  freedom  of 
their  country.  It  was  after  the  return  from  a  circuit  he  just 
had  made  that  a  numerous  deputation  from  us  went  to  see 
Kossuth,  and  urged  him  to  advocate  the  cause  of  Jewish 
emancipation  before  the  Hungarian  Diet.  With  a  voice 
trembling  with  emotion  he  answered  :  "  No  one  is  more  con- 
vinced than  I  that  you  are  faithful  children  of  this  beloved 
country,  and  no  one  desires  more  to  see  you  acknowledged 
as  such;  but  on  my  journey  I  had  the  opportunity  to  study 
the  public  mind,  and,  as  your  friend,  I  tell  you  the  time  has 
not  come  yet.  Continue  to  act  as  you  have  till  now  and  you 
will  force  them  to  acknowledge  your  merits.''  Silently  we 
shook  hands  with  the  man  whom  we  all  admired  and  loved. 
We  went  and  dyed  the  battle  fields  with  our  blood,  and 
when  the  combined  forces  of  Austria  and  Bussia  had  over- 
powered the  revolution,  the  Hungarian  Jewish  patriot 
mourned  the  downfall  of  his  country  not  less  bitterly  than 
the  ancient  Jew  mourned  the  downfall  of  Jerusalem. 

JEWISH   EMANCIPATION. 

The  present  political  freedom  in  Hungary  is  the  rich 
harvest  which  has  grown  out  of  that  ground  which  we  have 


—  292  — 

fertilized  with  our  blood;  but  the  time  of  acknowledgment — 
has  it  come  for  the  Hungarian  Jew  ?  Tisza  Eszlar  gives  the 
sad  answer.  But  sad  as  this  answer  sounds,  we  still  believe 
in  the  word  of  the  great  patriot,  and  we  repeat  it  to  our  co- 
religionists in  the  land  of  the  Magyars: — "Continue  to  act 
as  you  have  till  now  and  you  will  force  them  to  acknowledge 
your  merits."  The  tissue  of  lies  and  falsehoods  has  proved 
a  net  for  those  who  have  woven  it.  Many  an  eye  blinded  by 
prejudice  has  been  opened.  The  crooked  ways  and  detes- 
table means  of  hatred  are  exposed  in  their  utter  hideous- 
ness.  The  righteous  of  all  nations  and  creeds  turn  away 
with  disgust  and  horror  from  the  sickening  sight.  Thus  the 
great  wrong  at  Tisza  Eszlar  teaches  the  world  the  great  les- 
son of  justice  and  righteousness,  and  thus  the  evil  itself 
becomes  subservient  to  further  the  time  when  "  Zion  shall 
be  redeemed "  and  God's  children  shall  become  united  in 
true  fraternal  love. 


Happy  Russian  Refugees. 
Aug.,  26,  1883. 

"  Comfort  ye,  comfort  ye,  my  people,  says  your 
God." 

Isaiah,  XL.,  1. 

IT  is  wise  to  be  at  all  times  prepared  for  the  visitations  of 
the  Lord.  It  is  Divine  to  seek  out  the  sufferers  and  to  reach 
the  healing  balm  to  wounded  hearts.  How  gratifying  it  is 
for  a  benevolent  heart  to  see  the  beaming  smile  of  happi- 
ness reappear  on  the  grief-furrowed  face  of  the  afflicted 
and  to  think,  "By  my  word  and  by  my  deed  has  this  happy 
change  been  produced !''  It  is  a  pity  that  we  are  so  thought- 
less in  our  good  works.  If  we  would  watch  more  carefully 
the  precious  seed  of  our  benevolence  we  would  be  better  en- 
abled to  realize  wrhat  a  blessed  harvest  it  brings,  and  we 
would  derive  more  gladness  of  soul  from  the  good  acts 
which  we  perform.  The  slothful  neglects  his  own  field, 
and  it  decays;  the  industrious  minds,  it,  and  prosperity  in- 
creases. 


—  293  — 

THE   JEWISH    ODLOXI   AT    VINELAND. 

I  went  to  the  field  of  your  charity,  I  investigated  to  find 
whether  the  seed  of  your  benevolence  had  been  wasted,  and, 
behold  !  what  I  found  gladdened  my  heart,  for  it  was  a  live 
illustration  of  what  a  Sabbath  of*  Consolation,  which  we  ce- 
lebrated last  week,  properly  means.  Two  weeks  ago,  about 
the  time  when  Wall  street  threatened  to  become  an  Ischia 
for  its  habitues,  a  small  party  of  friends  went  to  visit  a  place 
where  the  bulls  and  the  bears  are  of  no  consequence,  but 
where  the  potato  bug  is  the  dreaded  tyrant  of  the  market, 
who  by  his  presence  or  absence  marks  the  ups  or  downs  of 
the  stocks.  About  three  miles  from  Yineland,  N.  J.,  the 
Jewish  colony  "Alliance"  spreads  over  an  area  of  1,100  acres. 
The  settlement  is  inhabited  by  seventy-two  families  of  the 
Russian  refugees,  to  every  one  of  whom  a  space  of  fifteen 
acres  of  land  had  been  apportioned.  Conflicting  reports 
spoke  now  of  the  success  and  now  again  of  the  failure  of 
this  colony.  We  resolved  to  ascertain  by  autoptical  inves- 
tigation the  true  state  of  affairs,  and  our  visit  there  proved 
for  us  a  source  of  reliable  information  and  of  pure,  genuine 
pleasure.  We  can  now  assure  the  community  at  large  that 
this  colony  is  a  decided  success,  and  that  the  offerings  of 
our  brotherly  love  were  bestowed  on  worthy  men  who  fully 
deserve  them.  You  would  as  little  recognize  in  these  strong 
and  energetic  farmers  the  broken  down  and  despondent 
men  of  Ward's  Island  as  you  would  recognize  in  the  now 
cultivated  grounds  the  wilderness  which,  less  than  two  years 
ago,  reigned  supreme  on  the  spot  of  their  present  dwel- 
lings. We  went  from  hut  to  hut,  from  field  to  field,  and 
were  amazed  by  the  amount  of  work  accomplished  in  com- 
paratively so  short  a  time  by  men  so  little  experienced  in 
this  kind  of  labor,  and  under  so  many  disadvantages. 
Most  of  the  land  is  cleared  from  the  woods,  the  ground  is 
tilled  and  planted,  and,  scanty  as  the  first  crop  is  as  yet, 
these  settlers  see  in  it  the  evident  blessing  of  the  Lord 
which  rests  on  the  work  of  their  hands.  With  deep  satis- 
faction they  tell  you  the  story  of  their  toils;  with  pride  and 
joy  they  show  you  the  results  thereof;  with  unspeakable 


—  294  — 

love  they  are  already  attached  to  tlie  soil  which  they  hare 
irrigated  with  the  sweat  of  their  brows,  and  with  deep 
gratitude  they  remember  their  kind  brethren  who  have  af- 
forded them  the  opportunity  to  build  up  a  home  in  this  free 
country  after  their  homes-had  been  destroyed  in  the  land 
of  slavery.  The  avenues  of  their  colony  bear  the  names  of 
their  benefactors,  and  the  endeavor  of  these  Jewish  farmers 
is  to  confer  honor  on  their  Jewish  brethren  here  by  making 
this  colony  respected  by  their  neighbors.  Utter  poverty 
reigns  as  yet  in  the  wooden  farm  houses,  but  neatness 
and  cleanliness  mitigate  its  dreariness,  and  the  mistress  of 
the  house  watches  you  to  see  whether  you  bestow  a  glance 
on  the  small  luxuries  with  which  she  has  adorned  her  home. 
All  are  filled  with  the  best  prospects  for  the  future,  and 
they  feel  happy  that  their  children  will  grow  up  in  the  bles- 
sed'land  of  freedom. 

In  one  of  the  fields  I  noticed  the  stump  of  a  mighty  tree 
reaching  considerably  out  of  the  ground.  "  TVhy  did  you 
leave  this  ?"  I  asked  the  owner.  "I  left  it  as  a  memorial  for 
my  son;  let  him  see  how  his  father  began,"  replied  the  man, 
and  a  tear  glittered  in  his  eye. 

JEW   AND    GENTILE   UNITED. 

They  have,  however,  very  little  time  to  be  sentimental. 
Their  watchword  is  "  Work,"  and  as  the  produce  of  the 
ground  is  not  as  yet  sufficient  to  sustain  them,  they  employ 
all  their  available  time  after  the  work  in  the  field  is  done, 
to  learn  an  industry  that  may  help  them  to  earn  their  living. 
There  is  a  cigar  factory  for  the  male  and  a  cloak  factory  for 
the  female  part  of  the  colony.  They  are  as  yet  apprentices, 
but  soon  their  work  in  this  line  will  also  bear  its  fruit.  I 
am  glad  to  state  that  the  relations  of  this  colony  to  their 
Christian  neighbors  are  of  a  most  brotherly  character.  The 
poor  colony  started  a  "benevolent  society,"  and  forthwith 
twenty-one  Christian  neighbors  joined  this  "Jewish  Bene- 
volent Society."  Two  hundred  dollars  were  voted  by  some 
Christian  neighbors  toward  the  building  of  a  synagogue 
whenever  the  colony  should  be  able  to  erect  one.  May  the 
Lord  bless  those  kind  hearts  that  encourage  and  comfort 


—  295  — 

their  poorer  brethren.  "  Love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself  "  is 
a  commandment  binding  for  Jew  and  Gentile.  It  is  the  ce- 
ment of  love  between  man  and  man.  But  us  to  us,  let  us  be 
mindful  of  our  duty  toward  our  own  creation.  The  Eussian 
Emigrant  Aid  Society  is  no  more.  Its  committee  has  dis- 
banded. The  young  colony  however,  needs  as  yet  the  love 
and  care  of  the  Jewish  brethren.  A  few  months'  assistance 
more  to  help  those  earnest,  indefatigable  workers  over  their 
difficulties  and  the  beautiful  goal  is  reached.  Ye  noble  men 
who  have  done  so  much  for  this  holy  cause,  members  of  the 
disbanded  committee,  organize  now  as  a  self-constituted 
committee;  take  the  lead  and  your  brethren  will  willingly 
respond  to  your  call.  Means  will  be  abundant,  as  they  ever 
have  been  for  a  good  cause.  The  young  colony  needs  your 
advice  and  your  care ;  it  cannot  be  as  yet  left  to  itself  with- 
out incurring  serious  danger.  Complete  your  mission,  crown 
your  work;  let  flourishing  "Alliance ''  become  the  living  ev- 
idence that  we  understand  and  practise  the  beautiful  com- 
mand, "Comfort  ye,  comfort  ye,  my  people,  says  your  God,7' 


Divine  Power. 
Nov.  4,  1883. 

"  In  the  beginning  God  created  the  heaven 
and  the  earth." 

Genesis,  I.,  1,  etc. 

THE  first  pages  of  Genesis  are  remarkable  in  every 
respect.  Even  the  most  advanced  scientists  acknowledge 
the  deep  wisdom  contained  in  the  history  of  the  creation,  if 
the  literal  sense  of  the  six  days  is  not  insisted  upon.  But 
however  inviting  this  subject  may  be,  it  is  our  intention  to 
speak  on  the  history  of  creation  to-day  from  another  point 
of  view,  but  which  is  of  great  importance  for  the  believer. 
A  peculiarity  which  has  been  noticed  in  the  first  four  chap- 
ters of  Genesis  gave  rise  to  the  modern  school  of  Bible 
criticism.  About  the  middle  of  the  former  century  the  fact 
was  urged  that  the  first  chapter  of  Genesis  persistently  uses 
for  God  the  name  Elohim,  while  the  second  and  third 


—  296  — 

chapters  apply  the  joint  name  of  Jehovah-Elohim,  and  the 
fourth  chapter  has  the  exclusive  appellation  of  Jehovah  for 
the  Divine  Being.  From  this  fact  the  conclusion  was  drawn 
that  three  different  documents  must  have  been  blended  to- 
gether in  the  one  that  we  have  now  in  our  possession.  On 
this  basis  the  modern  school  reared  a  gigantic  complex  of 
hypotheses,  differing  widely  and  still  all  holding  tenaciously 
to  the  issue.  The  Jehovah-Elohim  had  to  be  dropped,  as  no 
further  trace  beyond  the  short  narrative  in  the  chapters 
mentioned  is  to  be  found  of  him  in  the  Bible;  but  to  com- 
pensate for  the  loss  the  Elohini  was  divided  into  an  older 
and  younger  one.  Some  went  so  far  as  to  distinguish  six, 
and  perhaps  more,  different  components  of  the  Pentateuch. 
It  is  not  the  place  here  to  enter  into  a  learned  discussion  on 
this  topic,  but  it  is  an  imperative  duty  for  me  to  save  the 
moral  bearing  of  the  Scriptural  words  when  imperilled  by 
misapprehension.  Let  me,  therefore,  in  a  simple  and  popu- 
lar way  explain  why  these  three  different  appellations  of 
God  are  placed  at  the  threshold  of  the  history  of  the  uni- 
verse and  of  mankind,  and  what  they  are  intended  to  incul- 
cate in  our  mind. 

In  a  regular  progression  the  Sacred  Book  gives  us  an 
account  of  the  creation  of  the  universe  in  general,  then  of 
the  creation  and  installation  of  man  on  earth  in  detail,  and 
finally  it  makes  us  acquainted  with  the  very  first  dawn  of 
human  culture.  The  gradual  development,  as  indicated,  in- 
cludes a  gradual  development  of  the  Divine  Being.  Though 
God  is  the  same  at  all  periods,  yet  in  the  mind  of  the  reader 
He  appears  in  a  new  light  at  every  new  phase  of  this  his- 
tory, and  in  the  appellations  applied  to  Him  the  character 
of  each  phase  is  truly  reflected.  Elohini  is  the  Divine 
power,  as  evidenced  by  the  existing  things.  Jehovah  is  the 
Divine  Being  in  His  relation  to  man  as  a  special  creation. 
The  first  chapter  speaks  about  the  supreme  creative  power, 
and  it  applies  justly  the  name  Elohim.  The  second  and 
third  chapters  speak  about  the  special  care  and  mercy  of 
God  bestowed  on  man;  how  the  Lord  prepared  his  habita- 
tion; how  richly  He  provided  for  his  sustenance;  how  He 


—  297  — 

procured  a  helpmate  for  him,  the  very  ideal  of  a  happy 
household.  But  there  is  also  the  picture  of  the  dark  side 
of  human  life.  The  helpmate  proves  Adam's  ruin,  the  Para- 
dise is  lost,  hard  labor  becomes  their  portion  and  death 
sways  over  the  mortal  frame  of  the  child  of  dust.  How 
beautifully  Divine  Providence  is  here  introduced  and  how 
clearly  we  are  taught  there  to  understand  the  workings  of 
Providence!  Its  nature  is  expressed  in  the  conjoint  name 
Jehovah-Elohim — special  care  and  mercy  for  man  on  one 
side,  but  on  the  other  hand  subjecting  him  to  the  course 
and  general  law  of  nature.  The  fourth  chapter,  finally, 
shows  us  man  building  his  altar  and  worshipping  his  God. 
It  shows  the  fatal  effect  of  misconceived  religious  zeal,  and 
enlightens  us  on  the  important  point  that  true  worship  con- 
sists in  the  acknowledgement  of  the  truth.  "If  thou  doest 
well  thou  shalt  be  accepted,  but  if  thou  doest  not  well  sin 
lieth  at  the  door."  There  man  is  introduced  as  the  spiritual, 
as  the  moral  being.  He  seeks  his  connection  above  the 
visible  world  and  he  finds  his  Jehovah,  his  spiritual  God ! 
We  have,  then,  the  reason  why  these  different  names  are 
applied  in  these  different  places,  and  we  have  here,  also,  the 
true  indication  how  to  believe  our  God,  adore  the  almighti- 
ness  of  the  Creator,  trust  in  Providence  and  be  resigned  to 
the  will  of  thy  Heavenly  Father.  Build  thy  altar  in  purity. 
This  it  is  that  raises  thee  above  the  dust  and  unites  thy  soul 
with  Him  whose  image  it  is. 


"Am  I  My  Enemy's  Postman  P" 

March  16,  1884. 

THERE  is  a  sharp  line  of  demarcation  between  firmness  of 
principle  and  obstinate  adherence  to  selfish  sentiments.  "We 
cannot  refuse  our  respect  to  one  who  adheres  to  his  convic- 
tions and  fights  uncompromisingly  for  the  same,  even  if  our 
conviction  is  diametrically  opposed  to  his  views.  Thus  two 
sincere  opponents  in  principle  can  preserve  mutual  esteem 
and  good  will.  Unsparingly  they  wage  their  war  as  long  as 
resistance  is  possible;  but  when  one  is  forced,  either  by  the 


—  298  — 

victory  of  his  antagonist  or  by  the  term  which  nature  sets  to 
his  earthly  life,  to  lay  clown  his  arms,  then  it  is  a  moral 
duty  for  the  victor  or  survivor  to  acknowledge,  "My  oppo- 
nent was  a  true  and  faithful  champion  of  his  cause.  I  reject 
his  cause,  but  I  honor  his  merits !"  We  have  had  in  our  own 
country  many  examples  illustrating  such  a  line  of  conduct 
shown  by  political  parties  and  their  leaders  toward  one 
another.  In  fact,  party  strife  can  only  then  become  divested 
of  detrimental  consequences  when  it  is  vigorously  kept 
within  the  limits  of  principle  and  not  allowed  to  transgress 
into  the  boundary  of  personal  and  selfish  animosity. 

Our  Congress,  when  a  distinguished  member  of  the  Ger- 
man Reichstag  died  in  this  country,  took  this  point  of 
view: — Lasker's- , death  has  levelled  all  differences,  and  all 
parties  will  honor  the  memory  of  an  honest  and  faithful 
colaborer.  In  the  shape  of  kind  resolutions  a  compliment 
was  paid  to  a  friendly  country.  These  resolutions  had  to 
pass  through  the  hands  of  a  man  whose  antagonist  in  prin- 
ciple the  living  Lasker  was.  The  least  we  could  expect  was 
the  transmission  of  the  resolutions  to  their  place  of  destina- 
tion, with  the  restrictive  remark,  "I  reject  his  cause,  but  I 
honor  his  merits."  Instead  of  acting  thus  the  German 
Chancellor  surprises  and  disappoints  the  world  by  resting 
his  action  on  the  basis  of  mere  personal  animosity.  The 
phrase,  "Am  I  to  make  myself  my  enemy's  postman?"  will 
go  into  history,  and  will  a  true  postman,  bear  the  Lasker 
message  to  posterity. 

BISMARCK    CORRECTED. 

It  is  our  duty  toward  the  deceased  Lasker  to  correct  two 
erroneous  points  which  are  conspicuous  in  the  statement 
made  by  the  German  Chancellor  before  the  Reichstag  on 
the  13th  inst.  Prince  Bismarck  says: —  "Herr  Lasker  in- 
troduced himself  in  America  as  the  champion  of  German 
freedom  against  a  government  of  despotic  tendencies  im- 
personated in  its  Chancellor."  This  suggests  that  Lasker 
entered  this  country  under  certain  political  pretensions  and 
that  he  spread  unfavorable  reports  concerning  the  Chancel- 
lor. Both  facts,  however,  are  misstatemeiits.  Never  came  a 


—  299  — 

distinguished  man  in  less  pretentious  and  more  modest  man- 
ner to  these  our  shores  than  Lasker.  He  avoided  rather  than 
courted  public  attention.  And  as  to  his  judgment  about 
Bismarck,  those  who  had  the  privilege  to  hear  it  were  sur- 
prised how  kind  and  favorable  it  was.  Lasker  enumerated 
warmly  the  benefits  Bismarck  had  accomplished  for  his 
country,  and  there  he  stopped.  Lasker  was  more  charitable 
toward  the  living  Bismarck  than  the  German  Chancellor  has 
been  toward  the  dead  Lasker. 

Let  us  learn  the  moral  lesson  willingly  to  make  our- 
selves the  postmen  even  of  our  enemies  if  the  message  of 
kindness  and  justice  has  to  be  carried. 


Living  for  History. 
April  27,  1884. 

''Set  it  here  before  my  brethren  and  thy 
brethren,  that  they  may  judge  be- 
tween us  both." 

Genesis,  XXXI.,  37. 

THERE  is  something  peculiar  about  the  period  which  the 
patriarch  Jacob  passed  in  Mesopotamia.  During  his  career 
there  he  laid  down  for  himself  the  principle  "My  righteous- 
ness shall  testify  forme  in  time  to  come,''  and  at  the  end  of 
twenty  years  he  was  able  to  challenge  his  accuser  and  to  ap- 
peal to  the  unbiassed  judgment  of  honest  friends.  But  in 
the  main  the  life  of  Jacob  in  Mesopotamia  is  far  from  in- 
spiring us  with  that  feeling  of  reverence  which  the  life  of  a 
patriarch  should  inspire  in  all  its  phases.  He  wrestles  here 
with  the  artful  Mesopotamia!!,  Laban,  who  from  beginning 
to  end,  plots  to  overreach  and  to  defraud  the  poor  relative 
who  came  to  seek  his  protection.  Laban  is  defeated  in  this 
struggle  and  becomes  an  illustration  of  the  moral  lesson 
that  deceit  in  most  cases  gets  caught  in  the  net  laid  by  its 
own  hands.  But  neither  does  Jacob  escape  entirely  unhurt. 
In  this  wrestling  of  craft  against  craft  the  intended  victim 
is  so  dexterous  in  warding  off  the  blows  aimed  at  him  that 
we  forget  altogether  who  is  the  offending  and  who  the  of- 


—  300  — 

fended  party;  we  put  them  both  on  one  level,  and  declare 
them  as  equal  to  one  another  in  the  art  of  subtilty.  Jacob 
never  violated  his  principle  of  strict  righteousness.  He  was 
able  to  vindicate  it  on  Mount  Gilead,  and  still  this  vindica- 
tion fails  to  give  entire  satisfaction  to  our  mind.  "Why  is 
this  ?  I  think  the  following  reason  may  sufficiently  account 
for  it.  I  do  not  say  that  the  patriarch  forgot  in  Mesopota- 
mia the  God  of  his  fathers,  nor  that  he  neglected  works  of 
hospitality  and  charity;  but  what  I  say  is  that  the  sacred 
narrative  observes  a  deep  silence  about  the  spiritual  life  of 
the  patriarch  during  this  whole  period.  Not  once  do  we 
read  about  his  building  an  altar,  about  his  calling  on  the 
name  of  the  most  High,  about  his  training  his  family  in  the 
principles  of  Abraham,  about  his  opening  his  house  to  the 
stranger  and  the  poor.  This  total  lack  of  all  manifestation 
of  holiness  mars  the  character  of  the  history  of  Jacob  dur- 
ing these  twenty  years;  and  shrouds  it  in  selfishness  instead 
of  godliness. 

HARKING  OUR  OWN  HISTORIES. 

Here  we  have  the  important  lesson  how  to  be  careful  not 
to  mar  the  history  of  our  own  lives.  We  are  all  wrestling 
for  our  wages.  The  market  of  life  proves  often  a  treacher- 
ous Laban.  We  must  not  yield  to  its  craft.  The  impor- 
tant question,  "And  now  when  shall  I  provide  also  for  my 
house  ?"  must  be  a  spur  for  our  activity,  and  the  principle, 
"My  righteousness  shall  testify  for  me  in  time  to  come'' 
must  forever  remain  the  regulator  of  all  our  transactions. 
But,  necessary  as  these  two  points  are  for  a  proper  and  hon- 
est sustenance,  they  are  by  no  means  sufficient  to  build  up 
a  human  life  which  could  stand  the  test  of  closer  examina- 
tion. Eliminate  the  elements  of  holiness  and  your  life,  yet 
so  industrious  and  yet  so  successful,  will  offer  nothing  else 
but  the  aspect  of  selfishness.  Build  your  altar  of  true  de- 
votion, open  your  hearts,  and  your  hands  to  the  need  of 
your  fellow  men  and  your  work  will  prove  a  blessing  here 
and  hereafter. 


—  301  — 

The  ^Esthetic  in  Worship. 
Aug.,  3,  1884. 

"  The  grass  withereth,  the  flower  fadeth,  etc." 
Isaiah,  xl.,  8. 

IT  is  a  melancholy  fact  which  the  first  clause  of  our  text 
describes;  it  brings  to  our  mind  the  forcible  truth  that  no 
earthly  beauty  is  of  long  duration.  But  what  is  the  moral 
which  is  to  be  drawn  from  this  truth  ?  Shall  we  command 
our  hearts  not  to  be  attached  to  that  which  is  endowed  with 
a  natural  power  of  attraction?  Shall  we  disengage  our  in- 
clinations where  the  mighty  ties  of  nature  bind  us  irresis- 
tibly ?  Even  if  we  had  the  power  to  do  so  we  would  not  act 
morally  by  chilling  our  heart  against  the  cultivating  and 
ennobling  effect  of  beauty.  It  is  the  Divine  Power  who  has 
poured  out  over  plain  and  hill,  over  meadow  and  forest, 
over  stream  and  coast  that  fascinating  charm  which,  like  a 
sublime  song,  fills  our  soul  with  the  gratifying  effect  of  de- 
lightful harmony.  Not  to  hear  the  great  sermon  of  beauty 
which  Supreme  "Wisdom  preaches  in  the  works  of  nature 
were  to  deny  the  best  faculties  with  which  man  has  been 
blessed.  True,  there  is  a  saying,  "  False  is  grace  and  vain 
is  beauty."  This,  however,  is  to  warn  us  against  false  grace 
and  vain  beauty,  and  to  urge  us  to  judge  and  to  discrimi- 
nate and  then  to  appreciate  the  higher  value  of  "true 
grace"  and  "real  beauty." 

BEAUTY    EVERYWHERE. 

The  whole  universe  is  one  tale  of  beauty.  Every  flower 
and  every  blade  of  grass  forms  a  word  of  this  tale;  but  you 
must  know  how  to  read  it.  Read  it  in  the  same  manner  as  you 
read  a  printed  book  that  instructs  and  entertains  you.  The 
pages  with  their  printed  letters  in  your  book  would  be  of  no 
use  for  you  without  your  organ  of  vision,  and  still  the  read- 
ing proper  is  not  done  by  your  eyes.  It  is  the  mind  that 
perceives,  compares,  judges  and  then  transmits  to  the  heart 
the  feeling  of  pleasure  or  displeasure  according  to  its  ap- 
proval or  disapproval.  Do  not  judge  beauty  by  your  eye 
merely,  or  else  your  eye  will  soon  mislead  your  heart.  Im- 
bue your  mind  with  the  principles  revealed  by  Him  who  is 


—  302  — 

the  fountain  head  of  all  beauty.  Judge  by  this  standard  all 
the  material  that  your  senses  convey  to  you,  then  you  are 
sure  to  discriminate  justly  between  false  and  true,  between 
vain  and  lasting,  and  the  impressions  thus  transmitted  to 
your  heart  will  prove  a  true  guide  on  the  path  of  salvation 
and  a  source  of  pure  and  lasting  joy.  Bring  your  soul  under 
the  influence  of  God's  word  that  standeth  forever,  and  then 
let  the  grass  wither,  the  flower  fade,  your  hope,  your  trust 
and  the  gladness  of  your  heart  will  never  fail,  for  you  will 
see  even  in  the  withering  grass  and  the  fading  flower  the 
beauty  of  Divine  wisdom.  Yes,  the  Lord  has  spread  it  every- 
where, this  glorious  beauty,  that  man  should  see  it  and  en- 
joy it,  and  learn  from  it  to  make  of  himself  a  reflex  of  this 
beauty  in  all  that  is  good  and  noble. 


Nature's  Teachings. 
Aug.  17,  1884. 

"For  the  mountains  shall  depart,  etc." 
Isaiah,  LIV.,  10. 

THERE  is  a  two-fold  language  in  nature,  as  there  is  a  two- 
fold nature  in  man.  The  peaceful  scenes,  fraught  with 
blessing  and  delight,  bring  to  our  minds  the  message  of 
God's  love  and  kindness  and  prompt  our  hearts  to  the  filial 
acknowledgment  that  we  owe  all  our  happiness  to  our 
Heavenly  Father;  that  therefore  our  gratitude  and  trust 
toward  Him  ought  to  be  boundless ,  as  His  mercy  is  bound- 
less toward  us,  and  that  we  should  bestow  our  love  on  those 
who  need  us,  as  we  who  are  dependent  on  Him  experience 
His  love  day  by  day.  Quite  different  thoughts  and  feelings 
are  suggested  by  those  scenes  in  nature  that  display  the 
awful  and  irresistible  power  with  which  God  has  invested 
the  elements.  The  roaring  sea,  the  raging  storm,  the  bury- 
ing flood  and  the  devouring  conflagration  bring  to  us 
another  message  and  fulfil  another  mission.  They  rouse 
with  thundering  voice  the  sleeping  human  heart  from  the 
stupor  of  indifference.  With  a  giant's  arm  they  crush 
man's  pride.  The  self-sufficient  feeling  of  security  vanishes 
and  anxiety  and  fear  fill  the  soul.  The  acknowledgment 


—  303  — 

of  our  own  weakness  is  forced  upon  us,  and  in  such 
moments  of  trembling  we  seek  after  a  firm  support  to  lean 
upon  and  we  are  too  glad  to  find  a  safe  refuge  in  Him 
whose  power  is  without  limit.  "  The  thunder  has  been  cre- 
ated for  the  special  purpose  to  straighten  the  crookedness 
of  the  human  heart,"  says  the  Talmudical  sentence,  and  we 
understand  now  what  this  sentence  means — the  thunders  in 
nature  are  intended  to  preach  to  those  hearts  that  are  not 
reached  and  touched  by  the  quiet  sermon  of  peace  and 
Divine  kindness. 

It  has  always,  in  all  ages  and  countries,  been  the  method 
of  those  that  taught  in  the  name  of  religion  to  establish  a 
certain  causality  between  the  extraordinary  occurrences  in 
outward  nature  and  the  moral  state  of  mankind  at  the  time 
of  the  occurrence.  The  strict  naturalist  will  haughtily 
smile  at  this  method  and  will  relentlessly  style  it  the  out- 
growth of  ignorance.  I  say,  with  the  scientist,  natural  phe- 
nomena can  only  be  explained  by  natural  causes,  and  it  can 
very  well  happen  that  of  two  individuals  exposed  to  the 
storm  the  good  man  is  struck  and  killed  by  the  lightning 
while  the  wicked  escapes  unharmed.  But,  on  the  other 
hand,  it  cannot  be  denied  that  human  activity  exerts  a  great 
influence  on  nature,  and  that  morality  is  the  true  regulator 
of  human  activity. 

INDIVIDUAL  RESPONSIBILITY. 

The  ground's  fertility  or  sterility  is  in  many  cases  the 
blessing  or  curse  of  our  own  deeds,  and  many  a  devastating 
scourge  is  prevented  or  engendered,  according  to  the  moral 
or  immoral  state  of  society,  allowing,  of  course,  to  the  word 
moral  a  wider  sense,  and  regarding,  of  course,  an  unclean 
street  as  a  sign  of  a  city's  immorality,  just  as  we  regard  an 
unclean  household  as  a  sure  indication  of  neglect  of  a  most 
important  moral  duty  on  the  part  of  a  housewife.  In  these 
and  similar  cases  the  causality  between  man's  morality  and 
nature's  course  is  evident.  But  even  there,  wrhere  this  con- 
nection is  not  perceptible  at  all,  we  are  justified,  nay,  duty 
bound,  to  make  the  extraordinary  natural  occurrence  an 
educational  means  for  man's  advancement  in  true  religion. 


—  304  — 

It  is  the  language  of  God  and  we  must  hearken  to  it.  The 
week  has  not  yet  expired  since  in  this  city,  and  far  beyond 
it,  millions  of  men  were  startled  by  a  sudden  shaking  of  the 
earth.  The  shock  lasted  but  a  few  seconds,  and  how  much 
consternation  and  terror  it  spread.  The  opinions  of  the 
scientists  have  been  asked  and  chronicled.  Some  pretended 
to  know;  others  confessed  the  insufficiency  of  their  know- 
ledge. A  means,  however,  to  prevent  a  repetition  of  the 
occurrence  none  of  them  know  and  never  will  know.  It  is 
our  right  and  our  duty  to  chronicle  this  awful  occurrence 
in  our  own  way.  Let  the  mighty  shock  not  pass  away  with- 
out touching  lastingly  our  hearts.  It  was  the  most  power- 
ful sermon  against  human  pride  and  vanity;  let  us  heed  it. 
It  showed  us  that  the  very  ground  under  us  shakes,  and 
that  we  stand  in  need  of  a  more  firm  support.  Let  us,  then, 
take  our  refuge  to  Him  who  is  the  rock  of  eternity.  There 
is  no  lasting  covenant  with  the  earth;  she  is  too  shaky. 
Let  us  be  mindful  of  our  covenant  with  God.  Let  us  sin- 
cerely turn  to  Him  who  holds  us  safely  when  all  around  us 
shakes  and  recedes.  "May  mountains  depart,  hills  be  re- 
moved; His  kindness  never  departs,  His  covenant  of  peace 
lasts  forever." 

Resume  Your  Work  Cheerfully. 
Aug.,  81  1884. 

"  Ho,  every  one  of  ye  that  thirsteth,  etc." 

Isaiah,  IT.,   1. 

IT  is  a  peculiar  invitation  which  the  prophet  tenders  in 
our  text.  He  unseals  his  cool  fountain  of  refreshment,  opens 
his  rich  store  of  pleasures  and  offers  his  gifts  to  those 
who  are  desirous  to  partake  of  them.  Rich  and  poor  are 
equally  welcome,  for  his  bounties  are  not  to  be  sold  for  money 
and  are  not  to  be  paid  for  by  material  price. 

You  may  perhaps  blame  me  for  not  having  acquainted 
you  with  this  invitation  at  an  earlier  period.  When  the  sea- 
son of  recreation  was  at  hand  then  it  would  have  been  pro- 
fitable to  know  where  the  prophet's  quiet  and  salutiferous 
fountain  was  situated;  where  his  good  wine  that  always 
strengthens  and  never  intoxicates,  and  his  sweet  milk,  always 


—  305  — 

pure  and  never  adulterated,  were  to  be  had.  You  would 
possibly  have  preferred  his  convivial  establishment,  espe- 
cially under  the  conditions  as  offered,  to  the  crowded  arid 
costly  hotels,  where  the  composing  ingredients  of  your  fare 
are  covered  by  the  dense  veil  of  mystery.  Certain  indica- 
tions in  the  prophet's  words,  however,  teach  me  that  his 
invitation  is  intended  rather  for  the  end  than  for  the  begin- 
ning- of  the  season  of  recreation.  "  Why  do  you  spend  money 
for  what  i3  not  bread,  and  your  labor  for  what  satisfieth 
not  ?"  These  questions  show  clearly  that  the  man  of  God 
has  the  time  in  view  when  work  lays  again  upon  man's  neck 
its  heavy  yoke ;  and  his  aim  in  calling  us  to  the  refreshing 
waters  is  to  teach  us  how  we  can  lighten  the  burden  of  our 
labor  and  how  we  can  change  it  into  a  cherished  object  of 
love  and  joy. 

TKUE   HAPPINESS   NOT   BOUGHT   WITH   MONEY. 

Bread  is  the  support  of  man's  heart,  but  not  less  is  man's 
heart  the  support  of  bread.  Your  table  may  be  laden  with 
the  fat  of  the  earth;  if  your  heart  is  void  of  the  happy  feel- 
ing of  satisfaction,  then  your  choicest  delicacies  lose  their 
taste;  they  fail  to  satisfy  you.  Have  your  house  built  up  yet 
as  stately  and  furnished,  yet  as  magnificently,  unless  the 
kind  and  loving  heart  of  a  faithful  housewife  pours  out  the 
living  spirit  of  true  comfort  on  her  surroundings  all  this 
pomp  will  remain  cold  and  unsatisfactory.  If  your  wealth  and 
influence  make  all  around  you  bow  before  you  in  submission, 
as  long  as  your  child's  heart  does  not  practice  the  fifth  com- 
mandment cheerfully  all  the  honors  bought  with  your  money 
leave  your  heart  unsatisfied  and  starving.  It  is  not  money 
that  defrays  the  costs  of  true  happiness;  it  is  man's  heart. 
But  the  human  heart  is  not  reliable  in  itself;  it  is  easily  mis- 
led to  consider  worthless  counterfeit  as  genuine  coin,  and, 
as  a  rule,  it  receives  as  it  gives.  Sound  feelings  engender 
healthy  and  lasting  joys,  while  morbid  sensations  produce 
but  sham  pleasures,  which  prove  in  time  a  source  of  disap- 
pointment. The  Lord  in  His  love  has  created  the  heart  so 
frail  in  order  to  make  it  dependent  on  a  higher  wisdom  than 
that  of  mortal  man.  To  the  soul  of  man  God  has  trusted 


—  306  — 

the  key  to  that  inexhaustible  treasury  where  the  spiritual 
treasures  are  stored  up,  and  where  the  human  heart  can  find 
an  ever  ready  abundance  of  genuine  coin  wherewith  to  pay 
its  true  happiness  without  fail.  The  Divine  Word  is  the 
only  reliable  corrective  of  our  feelings,  and  hence  the  main 
condition  of  our  true  welfare.  The  prophet's  invitation  to 
step  nearer  to  the  blessed  fountain  expresses  a  loving  and 
instructive  greeting  to  old  and  young  among  us.  The  sea- 
son of  recreation  draws  near  its  end;  renewed  activity  claims 
our  energies.  Make  your  work  cheery  through  the  purity 
of  your  hearts;  maintain  the  purity  of  your  hearts  by  a  con- 
stant practice  of  God's  pure  teaching;  thus  your  felicity  will 
be  better  secured  than  if  you  trusted  it  to  the  light  wings 
of  gold  and  silver. 

The  Last  Will. 

Translated  from  the  Hungarian  of  BARON  JOSEF  EOTWOES. 

When  soon  shall  be  run  through 

My  wandering  path  of  life, 
Where  tired  I  reach  the  goal 

The  grave  shall  end  my  strife. 
Instead  of  marble  pillar 

When  further  lives  my  name, 
Let  my  fulfilled  ideas 

My  memory  proclaim. 
And  when  ye  pass  my  grave 

And  stand  with  friendly  nod, 
O,  sing  a  beauteous  song 

Near  by  the  silent  sod. 
A  sweet  Hungarian  song 

To  heart  and  soul  relief, 
I'll  hear  it,  even  dead 

Itll  make  my  bosom  heave. 
And  shed  one  feeling  tear 

O'er  him  who  well  it  meant; 
The  song  give  to  the  poet 

The  tear  give  to  the  friend. 


OBSEQUIES 


AND 


t 


,,<£uer  Sdjhttfoett  brad)  bie  fctcrlicfjc  Stifle, 
ills  tit  ben  deinpel  bic  eittfeelte  fjiitte 

gunt  le^teii  21bfrf/iebsgntge  raarb  gefefct. 
21m  Sarg  gelobtet  3ljr  :  Was  iv'it  crerBett, 
Soil  mnimermefyr  tnit  feiuent  5d?6pfer  ftcrBcn, 

3«  uwfertt  f^anben  bleibt  es 


DEATH  OP  DR.  ADOLPH  HTTEBSCH. 

Prom  "  The  Hebrew  Standard"    and  "  The  American  Hebrew.' 


A  THUNDERBOLT  from  a  clear  summer  sky  could  not  have 
fallen  more  unexpectedly  than  did  the  intelligence  of  the 
sudden  death  of  Dr.  Huebsch  upon  the  Jewish  community  on 
Friday  last  (Oct.  10,  1884).  The  melancholy  news  spread 
like  wild  fire  over  the  city,  and  the  shock  was  so  unexpected 
that  it  was  scarcely  credible.  Never  was  the  voice  of  the 
people  so  unanimous  in  its  expression  of  grief,  never  did  the 
chord  of  universal  sympathy  vibrate  with  such  tender  emo- 
tions as  when  the  melancholy  tidings  came,  "  Dr.  Huebsch 
is  dead!" 

Stout  hearted  men  wept,  and  a  gloom  of  sadness  hung 
like  a  funeral  pall  over  every  Jewish  household  where  his 
name  was  known — in  fact,  in  every  Jewish  heart — for  his 
name  had  become  a  household  word.  Eighteen  years  of  in- 
cessant labor  in  the  pulpit  of  one  of  the  most  noted  Jewish 
congregations  had  familiarized  his  name  throughout  the 
length  and  breadth  of  the  land.  Eighteen  years  of  unceas- 
ing devotion  to  the  cause  of  American  Judaism  had  stamp- 
ed his  name  in  indelible  characters  upon  its  history,  the 
pages  of  which  bear  everlasting  testimony  to  his  zealous 
labors  for  the  advancement  of  its  principles. 

Men  may  have  differed  with  him  in  some  of  the  doctrinal 
points  of  Judaism,  but  all  recognized  his  deep  learning,  his 
profound  erudition,  his  scholarly  attainments.  No  wonder 
that  hundreds  bewailed  his  death — -for  his  loss  is  irreparable. 
No  wonder  that  saddened  hearts  saw  naught  but  gloom 
around  them,  for  the  light  which  shed  such  refulgent  rays 
had  become  suddenly  extinguished,  the  star  which  shone  with 
such  resplendent  lustre  had  vanished  in  darkness. 


—  310  — 

Quivering  lips  told  the  sorrowful  story,  and  from  thou- 
sands of  swelling  hearts  went  forth  the  exclamation,  what  a 
blow  to  his  family,  to  his  congregation,  to  Judaism !  And  little 
gathering  groups  spoke  in  mournful  tones  of  their  deep  loss, 
recalled  the  recollection  of  that  eloquence  now  silent  forever, 
ofHhat  learning  now  entombed  in  the  grave,  of  that  ready  wit 
which  corruscated  with  such  sparkling  brightness,  of  that 
genial  disposition  which  brought  gladness  into  every  heart, 
of  that  masterly  ability  which  like  a  glistening  wave  car- 
ried conviction  on  its  crest. 

But  yesterday  in  the  fullest  possession  of  manly  vigor 
with  an  intellect  clear  and  unclouded,  with  a  heart  strong 
in  its  pulsations  for  the  faith  he  loved,  with  the  cup  of  do- 
mestic happiness  at  his  lips,  and  now  cold  and  silent  in  the 
embrace  of  death.  It  was  indeed,  a  grievous,  crushing  blow, 
a  dispensation  whose  mysteries  we  cannot  penetrate,  but  one 
which  has  wrenched  the  hearts  of  loved  ones,  which  has  lost 
to  his  congregation  a  most  faithful  leader,  and  torn  from 
the  Diadem  of  American  Judaism  its  brightest,  costliest 
gem. 

Many  were  the  manifestations  which  testified  to  the 
depth  of  f  eeling  with  which  the  members  of  the  community 
were  imbued,  the  sense  of  personal  loss  which  overwhelmed 
them  at  the  death  of  Dr.  Adolph  Huebsch.  This  was  be- 
tokened by  the  symbols  of  grief  which  were  displayed  on 
numerous  houses.  The  New  York  evening  papers,  as  well 
as  the  morning  papers :  The  New  York  Herald,  the  Sun,  the 
Commercial  Advertiser,  the  New  York  Tribune,,  the  New  York 
Telegram,  the  New  York  Times,  the  Star,  the  Daily  News,  the 
World,  the  New  York  Truth,  the  Evening  Pod,  the  New  York 
Morning  Journal,  the  New-Yorker  Staats-Zeitung,  the  Neic- 
Yorker  Zeitung,  etc.,  acknowledged  his  merits,  reviewing 
the  past  acts  of  the  deceased  and  eulogizing  his  every  deed. 


—  311  — 

At  the  Synagogues  on  Saturday. 


AT  all  the  synagogues  and  temples  the  dead  minister  was 
remembered.  But  it  was  at  his  own  temple,  which  was  the 
scene  of  his  life-work,  that  the  dreariest  and  most  mournful 
sight  was  presented.  All  morning  long  a  stream  of  people 
flowed  towards  the  synagogue,  and  long  before  the  usual 
hour  the  building  was  overcrowded,  people  turning  away 
in  consequence. 

The  seat  of  Dr.  Huebsch  and  the  pulpit  were  draped. 
The  organ  was  hushed  except  when  accompanying  the  choir, 
who  sang  only  the  necessary  parts  and  those  in  a  subdued 
voice.  The  cantor,  Rev.  T.  Guinsburg,  did  not  chant  as 
usual,  but  read  the  prayers. 

When  the  services  reached  the  taking  out  of  the  law, 
which  was  always  done  by  Dr.  Huebsch,  Mr.  Guinsburg 
could  endure  the  strain  no  longer  but  completely  broke 
down  as  the  congregation  wept  aloud.  It  was  a  sight 
mournful  in  the  extreme  to  behold  a  congregation  of  such 
size  in  tears  and  to  see  strong  men  fairly  prostrated  with 
grief  which  they  in  vain  sought  to  restrain.  On  Sunday 
morning  another  sad  scene  was  presented  in  the  school 
room  as  Mr.  S.  B.  Hamburger  announced  the  sad  news,  of 
which  all  the  children  had  already  been  apprized,  and  after 
a  formal  announcement  by  the  chairman  of  the  School  Com. 
mittee,  the  children  were  dismissed. 

Rev.  S.  H.  Jacobs  preached  on  Sabbath  last  from  the 
text  Isaiah  xl.  8:  "The  grass  withereth,  the  flower  fadeth, 
but  the  word  of  our  God  shall  stand  firm  for  ever."  After 
speaking  of  the  mutabilities  of  all  things  earthly,  and  the 
unchangability  of  God's  promises,  he  referred  to  the  sad 
event  which  had  caused  so  widespread  a  sorrow  in  allJewish 
communities  of  this  country,  in  the  demise  of  Dr.  Huebsch. 
The  death  of  one  whom  we  all  held  in  such  disavowed  esti- 
mation and  regard  was  a  common  calamity.  It  brought  be- 
fore us  the  reiterated  lesson,  startling  in  effects,  how  we  pass 
away  as  a  vision  in  the  night.  In  God's  word  is  our  strength. 
From  it  we  have  those  assurances  of  help  and  guidance 


—  312  — 

which  sustain  us  in  sorest  trials,  and  bring  us  the  sustaining 
comfort  which  we  need.  We  pray  that  that  comfort  will 
be  vouchsafed  to  the  sorrowing  and  bereaved  family  of  him 
who  has  gone  the  way  of  all  the  earth. 

At  the  57th  Street  synagogue  Dr.  Maisner  said:  "What 
is  more  changeable  than  the  winds,  what  more  inconsistent 
than  the  clouds?  "We  are  much  affected  by  hearing  of  the  sud- 
den death  of  our  beloved  brother,  Eev.  Dr.  A.  Huebsch,  and  are 
filled,  every  one  of  us,  with  sorrow  and  pain,  not  only  because 
we  lose  in  him  a  man  of  great  mental  power,  not  only  be- 
cause of  our  natural  sympathy  with  his  deprived  family,  but 
also  because  death  came  so  suddenly,  so  unexpectedly,  that 
we  are  unwillingly  reminded  how  nighty  and  perishable  we 
are.  And  we  have  but  one  consolation,  that  is,  that  God 
calls  the  spirit  of  man  to  Himself,  and  that  only  the  dust 
which  forms  the  body  drops  to  earth. 

At  Temple  Beth  El,  Dr.  Kohler,  before  introducing  Dr. 
Illch,  who  was  to  occupy  the  pulpit  that  day,  spoke  im- 
passionedly  of  the  severe  loss  to  Judaism,  not  purely  local, 
but  a  loss  to  the  whole  of  American  Judaism  by  the  death 
of  Dr.  Huebsch.  He  had  scarcely  sufficiently  recovered 
from  the  shock  to  give  utterance  to  his  feelings.  Dr.  Dlch, 
at  the  conclusion  of  his  lecture,  also  spoke  feelingly. 

On  Sabbath  last  Eev.  Edward  M.  Chapman,  of  Temple 
Israel,  Greene  Ave.,  Brooklyn,  preached  from  the  text,  "  And 
so  thy  servant  was  busy  here  and  tkere, — he  was  gone.'' 
i  Kings,  xx.  40.  Our  children  are  committed  to  us  to  keep 
safely  through  the  bustle  of  life  to  be  returned,  when  that 
is  ended  into  the  hands  of  Him  from  whom  they  were  re- 
ceived. And  souls,  received  by  us  pure  and  undefiled  to  be 
rendered  up  equally  pure  and  unsullied  when  God  shall  call 
us  to  Him.  And  yet,  such  is  our  inconsideration,  that  many 
of  us  forget  entirely  that  we  hold  any  such  trust,  and  become 
so  absorbed  in  what  is  going  on  around  us,  that  while  we 
are  "busy  here  and  there,"  the  treasures  are  gone.  How 
different  was  the  life  of  Dr.  Huebsch.  He  was  "  busy  here 
and  there;"  but  always  directing  his  great  learning,  his 
powerful  teachings,  his  indomitable  energy  and  persever- 


—  313  — 

ance  and  his  bright  example  for  the  benefit  of  his  fellow  man 
and  the  glory  of  his  faith. 

Dr.  Gottheil's  sermon  at  Temple  Emanu-El,  inauguratory 
of  the  Memorial  Service  for  the  Dead,  referred  to  the  two 
epithets  of  Moses,  "the  man  of  God"  and  "the  servant  of 
God,"  the  latter  characterizing  the  zealous  activity  of  the 
man.  It  Avas  of  too  recent  occurrence  to  permit  any  esti- 
mate of  Dr.  Huebsch's  work  that  would  do  justice  to  it; 
he  hoped  next  Sabbath  to  return  to  this  labor  of  love  and 
duty  in  an  address  especially  devoted  to  it. 

Before  the  sermon  at  the  19th  Street  Synagogue,  Dr.  H. 
Pereira  Mendes  referred  to  the  death  of  Dr.  Huebsch  and 
paid  a  tribute  to  his  memory.  He  reminded  the  congrega- 
tion of  the  Latin  proverb,  Si  monumentum  quaeris  circum- 
-s/j/t'e,  and  showed  how  noble  a  monument  to  the  memory  of 
the  departed  minister  was  to  be  found  in  the  sphere  of  his 
labors,  evidenced  by  the  condition  of  the  congregation,  the 
Sunday  School,  and  the  Ahawath  Chesed  Association,  with 
the  growth  of  which  Dr.  Huebsch  was  identified.  "In  his 
sermon  last  week,"  said  Dr.  Mendes  in  effect,  "Dr.  Huebsch 
compared  the  four  symbols  of  Succoth  to  the  four  classes  of 
men,  and  in  speaking  of  the  third,  the  myrtle,  said:  'The 
third  class,  like  the  myrtle  with  its  unostentatious  appear- 
ance and  sweet  fragrance,  are  those  whose  goodness  of  heart 
can  only  be  recognized  when  one  comes  close  in  contact  with 
them,  as*  they  make  no  display  of  themselves.'  These  words 
can  be  applied  to  Dr.  Huebsch." 

At>  Cong.  Shaaray  Tefila,  Dr.  de  Sola  Mendes  said:  "Not 
one  but  must  have  been  shocked  by  the  news  that  flashed 
through  the  community  yesterday,  on  the  day  of  the  "  great 
Hosanna,"  that  a  revered  guide,  a  noble  friend,  had  slum- 
bered never  to  wake  again.  The  news  is  so  sudden  and  un- 
expected, if  ordinary  health  and  unrestricted  vigor  warrant 
life's  expectation,  that  not  yet  have  we  risen  from  the  shock 
to  estimate  what  the  sudden  removal  of  such  a  man  from 
our  midst  means.  To  our  sister  congregation  thus  keenly 
stricken,  to  our  friends  there  who  pi-ized  the  eloquence  and 
the  learning  of  their  pastor  and  hung  most  affectionately 


—  314  — 

on  the  utterances  of  his  lips,  to-day  that  those  lips  are  for 
the  first  time  on  such  a  day  mute  and  motionless,  we  can  but 
send  the  missive  of  our  silent  condolence — respectful,  sor- 
row-burdened, sympathetic.  His  deep  learning,  his  im- 
passioned eloquence,  his  cordiality  and  true-hearted  good 
nature,  have  passed  from  our  sight;  they  live  in  our 
respectful,  grateful  admiration,  and  they  accentuate  the 
sorrow  and  emphasize  the  fervent  feeling  of  that  olden 
Jewish  formula  of  grief  and  resignation,  "The  Lord  hath 
given,  the  Lord  hath  taken  away;  blessed  be  the  name  of 
the  Lord.  Amen!" 

At  the  close  of  the  Rev.  Gabriel  Hirsch's  sermon  at  the 
Schaarch  Berochoh  Synagogue  in  East  Forty-fifth  Street, 
the  speaker  said:  "It  is  against  the  usages  of  the  Jewish 
religion  to  offer  prayers  for  the  dead  on  the  Sabbath  day. 
But  when  a  man  like  Adolph  Huebsch,  who  has  devoted  his 
whole  life  to  the  elevation  of  the  olden  religion,  passes 
away,  it  is  the  duty  of  every  congregation  and  of  every  man 
to  honor  his  memory  in  an  especial  way.  Eabbi  Huebsch 
was  a  man  who  always  remained  true  to  his  faith  and  stead- 
fast to  the  principles  which  it  inculcated.  While  liberal  in 
his  views  and  fully  alive  to  the  changes  which  scientific  and 
social  progress  has  made  in  this  century,  he  adhered  strictly 
to  the  orthodox  interpretation  of  the  law,  and  in  dying  left 
behind  him  a  memory  which  all  who  knew  him  will  delight 
to  honor." 


Obsequies. 


THE  funeral  services  were  read  at  the  house  by  the  Eev. 
Mr.  Rubin  in  a  solemn  and  impressive  manner.  The  rela- 
tives and  friends  proceeded  to  the  temple  in  mourning 
carriages. 

The  interior  of  the  temple  presented  an  actual  scene  of 
mourning,  the  galleries  on  either  side,  as  well  as  the  teba 
being  heavily  draped  with  black  and  wrhite,  so  also  the  pil- 
lars throughout  the  building. 


—  315  — 

Although  it  was  the  intention  of  the  committee  to  allow 
no  person  to  enter  the  building  until  9  o'clock,  the  crowd 
outside  was  so  vast  in  number,  that  it  was  absolutely  neces- 
sary to  throw  open  the  doors  as  early  as  8:15.  The  temple 
was  well  filled  before  9  o'clock.  Many  of  the  houses  in  the 
vicinity  were  draped  in  mourning  and  for  blocks  on  either 
side  the  streets  were  massed  with  spectators.  The  invited 
guests  were  assigned  to  reserved  seats.  Representatives 
from  every  congregation  of  this  city  as  well  as  in  the  vicinity 
were  present  and  properly  cared  for.  The  altar  contained 
some  three  dozen  chairs,  which  were  occupied  by  the  rabbis 
of  the  various  congregations,  among  whom  we  noticed  Drs. 
Gottheil,Jacobs,  H.  P.  and  F.  de  S.  Mendes,  Hirsch,  Kohler, 
Jastrow,  Isaacs,  Lewin,  Winter,  Adler,  Schlesinger,  Wasser- 
man  and  Rubin. 

Promptly  at  10  o'clock,  the  doors  leading  to  the  center 
aisle  were  opened,  and  as  the  organ  played  a  solemn  dirge, 
eight  young  men  of  the  Ahavath  Chesed  association  entered, 
carrying  the  coffin  on  their  shoulders,  followed  by  twelve 
pall  bearers.  As  the  remains  were  brought  half  way  to  the 
altar  it  was  received  by  Drs.  Gottheil,  Jacobs,  Mendez  and 
Kohler,  and  was  then  placed  on  a  catafalque  resting  in  front 
of  the  altar.  Rev.  Theodore  Guinsberg,  the  cantor  of  the 
congregation,  standing  in  the  pulpit  ready  to  read  the 
prayers,  but  was  so  overcome  by  the  scene  that  he  burst  into 
tears  and  wept  for  at  least  five  minutes.  The  usual  prayers 
were  then  read  by  him,  and  the  choir  followed  with  a  solemn 
hymn  in  German.  Dr.  Gottheil,  filled  with  grief,  ascended 
the'pulpib  and  delivered  the  following  address: 

"2Btr  Ijoffen  auf  Zifyt — unb  ftebe  ba  ginftcrnij);  auf 
§elle — unb  nun  icanbeln  wit  im  Sunteln." 
3faia$  59,  9. 

S^iefe  $lage,  bie  ber  ^ropfyet  etnft  cuts  bent  SJhtnbe  femes  nn* 
gliitflidjen  23olfe$  ertbncn  fybrte — fie  ift  ber  ©dnnerjcnsidjrci,  ber 
fid)  taufenbett  Don  ^erjcn  entnmgen,  feitbem  fttir  fyorten,  U)eld)en 
3ttann  ber  §err  aitS  unfcrcr  9ftitte  geforbcrt. 

(gin  £ag,  mitlje  unb  arbetts&olt,  nrie  bte  metften  feineS  tfebenS, 
fdjlofj  mit  beffcn  tester  Stttnbe.  (?r  Ijatte  fie  am  Slrbeitstifdje  Ijeran* 


—  316  — 

gettad)t;  Cruel)  war  fie  gewibmet;  $fyr  ftanbct  nor  fcinem  @ctftc;  gu 
@ud)  f  prad)  cr  in  ©ebanfen,  mit  (Sud)  oerfeljrte  cr  in  f  tiller  DJtittcrnadjt ; 
bann  nod)  em  £iebe§gruf$  au3  tl)cwem9)hmbc,  unb  ber  DJftibc  fttdptc 
ba§£agcr,um  ba§  neue  £id)tbc3  SftorgenSmit  emftcr^nn 511  bcgrii= 
fjen;  aber,  ad),  e3  fotlte  iljtn  nid)t  mcfjr  tagcn,  nidjt  btesfctts  tagen, 
wo  jebe  (stunbe  fcineS  £ebcn$  tton  fo  gropcm  SSertl^e  war.  £)te 
©ottin  ton  tljrem  \?ager  aufgefdjrccft,  unb  urn  ben  Grfranltcn  etf= 
rig  bemiifjt — il)r  3Iuge  ^offte  auf  ba§  ritrffctircnbe  £id)t  ber  ©ene* 
fung— nun  Wanbelt  fie  mit  iljren  ^inbcrn  tin  ^itnfcln.  3>or  einer 
5Sod)e  nur  fafy  id)  fie  betbe,  ftro^Icnb  tin  2id)te  ber  t)6d)ften  unb 
rctnftcn  51ternfreube;  iljr  tnnigfter  SSunfd)  war  crfiillt,  tl)r  inntg= 
fte3  ©cbet  er^ort  worbcn;  nun  licgt  etne  ticfe  5?adit  ber  -traucr 
iiber  bcm  $aufer  unb  in  btefem  ©otteS^Qufc, — foil  id)  c§  fcin  erfte§ 
ober  fcin  jweiteS  ^>eim  ncnnen  ? — aud)  Ijier  fa^et  it)r  ja  bcm  £id)te 
entgcgen,  ba§  fo  oft  Gud)  t»on  biefer  Static  geteud)tct.  5)a3  ^eft 
war  naf)e,  unb  fcftlid)  wiirbe  er  rcbcn, — bod)  oergcbcnS.  (5r  ift  in 
bie  9Rad)t  beS  S^obcd  ncrfcnft;  'bie  <2tatte  ift  in  Xraucrgewanb  ge- 
tji'tllt.  D,  ba§  id)  ftatt  Reiner  rebcn  mup,  ftreunb  unb  ©cnoffe  in 
ber  Slrbctt  bc^  ^>crm,  unb  gu  ben  ^etncn  unb  it  ber  Qid),  unb  £u 
mir  nid)t  (gcljwetgen  gebicten  fannft;  wie  foil  id)  ben  ©cfiil)lcn  ge= 
nug  tl)un,  bie  in  bent  lauten  <£d)hidi$en  fid)  funb  tljatcn,  ba  ftatt 
£)cincr  fvaftigen,  lebenc^ollcn  ©c ftatt,  nur  bcine  Icblofe  §iille  in 
btC'5  ,s3cttigt()itm  gctragen  wurbe.  ^clbcr  auf'S  ticffte  erfd)itttcrt 
bei  bicfem  Slnblictc,  Wie  foil  id)  ba§  rcd)te  3£ort  finbcn,  ba  wo  baS 
Tcine  fo  oft  bie  ^crjen  ergrtffcn,  crwecft,  unb  cnt^iidt  I)at !  S^ob,! 
mbditct  iljr  ba5  ^>au§  in  Sd)War.^  I)itl(cn,  bcnn  cm  5}onncrfd)Iag 
auel)citcrcm  §immet  b,at  c3  bctroffcn;  ein  <£turm  t)at  e£  an  feme 
t)ier  Gcfcn  gefdilagcn,  c*CCn  r'SN  *r-^  — fea  crbcbtcn  bie  Sau* 
Icn  ber  %>fortcn  Niipn  ^*.pO  tier  ber  etimmc  be«  gewaltig  rufen- 
ben  bcm  fcin  9iein  cntgcgcn  gefe^t  wcrbcn  faun,  wie  oiclc  ^crjen 
aud)  bet  bent  2?crlnfte  gctroffen  wcrbcn  mogcn,  •;-'*,'  ^h^  n^ni 
unb  iibcr  ba-3  ."oau?  fcnfte  fid)  etne  finftcrc  Solfe,  bie  ben  3lu§bficf 
auf  bie  ^nfunft  ocrbiiftcrt.  SS?ie  fann  man  fid)  9lbawatf)  Gl)ci'eb 
ob,ne  itircn  Xr.  ^ucbfd)  bcn!cn!  Unb  wie  I)icr,  fo  in  jcbcr  9(:tftaftf 
bie  ber  £}ol}lt{)a'ttgfeitgcwcil}t  ift,  ja  in  jcbcm  jitbtfdien^aufc  inbic= 
fern  Sonbc  fittjlte  man  bie  (5rfd)Utterung.  <Tac  6;cfd^B  bc$  Xobc« 
bed  gcwaltigcn  G^gere  Dor  bcm  §errn,  l)at  cine  2h'cfd)c  gefdjoffen, 
bie  lange  llaffcn  Wirb. 


—  317  — 

nrirb  in  ben  23rud)  fid)  ftellen  bitrfen  PyiOn  "toy  ""O  3^ 
alien  ©otteSljaufern,  in  alien  <Sd)uIen,  ift  biefcl'be  £Iage  um  ben 
§eimgang  bicfcs  Cannes  jn  IjBren.  £>od)  ermtpt  bie  ©rope  be8 
2$crlufte8,  na'djft  ben  Semen,  9ttemanb  jidjcrcr  al«wir,btcnrir  nun 
feit  3al)ren  mtt  tf)tti  in  inniger  ©emeinfdjaft  gcnrirft  unb  gcftrcbt 
fyabcn.  SiMje  ift  uns  nm  £)id),  unfcr  Srubev!  !Dem  Sc^tlb,  ber 
un§  ge[cf)u^tr  !Cein  @cf)tt)crt,  ba§  fitr  itn§  unb  mtt  un$  gcfiimpft, 
!Ccin  meifer  9?atl),  ber  un3  ouf  unfern  SBegen  gcleud)tet,  fie  finb 
Don  un«  gcnndjen! 

®ocf)  gcbictw  totr  ben  £l)ra'ncn,  toir  b.abencine  f>eilige  ^flidjt^u 
erfitllen,  el)e  iuir  ben  Stobten  ju  feincr  iful)eftatte  geleiten.  2Bir 
Ijaben  ju  rebcn  Don  fetnetn  SBcrtlje  unb  feinem  SBirfcn  unb  ben 
9?amen  ©ottc§  311  b/eiligcn,  ber  ba  gegcben  unb  genontmen.  Qi\ 
bem  ^eimgcgangcn  Dereintgten  fit^  in  gIMItdjcr  9Jtifd)ung  foft  alle 
©aben  bie  eincn  3Wann  gam  SSolf«fit^rer  befd'l)igen  unb  at§  SSotf^ 
frcunb  au^ctdjncn.  3un^ft  btfafy  er  ein  rcidje§,  DtelfeitigeS 
Siffcn.  ^n  gelefjrten  l!rcifen  geboren,  bemeifterte  erfrul).^eitig  ba§ 
gan^e  ©ebiet  ber  jitbifdjen  Siteratur,  oer^arrte  jebod)  ntd)t  barin, 
fonbern  fdjritt  b,inau§  in  anbere  ©ebiete,  bi§  er  fid)  auf  btc  £>ol)e 
ber  3£it  gefdjwungcn  tjatte,  unb  ftanb  eigentli^  nicmat^  ftill. 
?ernen  inar  il)tn  fo  gut  fyeilige  ^flidit,  al3  Scljren,  unb  ebcn  barum 
Dermodjte  cr  ba3  tc^tcre  mtt  fo  gro^cm  (grfotge  511  ftollbringen.  ^n- 
mitten  feincr  tiielfadjcn  amtlid)cn  Xljatigtcit  fanb  er  immcr  ^cit 
fief)  geiftig  ju  bereidjem,  unb  oft  geftanb  er  mir,  bafj  bie  ftille 
@tunbc  in  ber  ©tubirftube  ju  feinengliicflidjften  gc^ortc.  £)riiben 
im  ^eimat^lanbe,  wo  iciffenfdjaftticleS  ©treben  bie  ©tii^e  unb 
3lncrfennung  finbet,  bie  il)m  beibe  h,ier  nod)  fcl)lcn,  ertrarb  er  fid) 
rafd)  einen  flangoollcn  9?amcn,  fo  bap  ©clcljrte  oon  ber  ©rb'§e 
©eigerS  unb  9Jappaport§  il)n  nur  fetjr  ungcrn  auS  il)rcr  DJcittc 
fdjciben  fab,cn.  ®ab,cr  abcr  fam'«,  ba§  bie  fo  gclcitct  fctit  tuollten, 
fid)  tijm  bcrtraucn§uoll  I)ingaben.  @ie  ttuptcn  ba§  er  eiit  fefter 
©tab  fei.  !^al)cr  aud)  feme  SBorftdjt  in  ^euerungen.  Sic  ftfafy 
fyit  oenneint,  in  fitnen  ©pritngcn  eincn  53cweiS  Don  Srof t  ^u  lie* 
fern;  bie  miffcnfc^aftlt^  gercifte  <£ta'rfe  aber  beiwaljrt  fid)  nur  im 
langfamen,  fidjcrcn  ^orlDartgfdjreiten,  hn  anljaltcnbcn  boucrnbcn 
©trcben  nad)  einent  bcwu^ten  £kk.  Sr.  §uebfd)  iuar  cin  iOtann 
beS  gortfd)ritte§,  nid^t  be§  gorteitenS  in  ba§  Ungcnnffe;  fein  (gin- 
rei^en  wa§  c^l  nTDD  beg  in  tenntniB  bed  Slltcn  gcreiften 


—  318  — 

33aumciftcr$,  unb  glaubt  e$  nur,  ttenn  aud)  [cine  ^Brebigten  Crud) 
nid)t  in  bie  tiefen  <Sdjad)ten  bcv  Siffenfdjaft  f)inabfiit)rten,  f o  waren 
fie  bod)  ba  unten  geroadjfen.  9#it  gfetp  unb  TOlje  burd)fud)te  er 
ba§  33ergroerf ,  (Sud)  jeigte  er  nur  ba§  eb(e  3RctaIl,  ba§  er  311  £age 
geforbcrt.  £>od)  fyatte  fein  Slnbiid  Chid)  nimmcr  erfreut,  als  eSbcr 
gall  ttmr,  fyatte  er  feine  ftunbe  nidjt  erft  tm  ^djmeljofen  frinc3 
tttarmen  §erjenS  tierarbeitet  unb  in  fee(engctt>innenber  gorm  Dor 
Slugen  geftellt.  ®a§  mar  feme  gttcite  ^cgabimg.  gin  n3ol)(tl)U- 
enb  $cuer  gtiit)te  in  feiner  ^Bruft.  £rug  i^n  fcin  Siffcn  unb 
£)enfcn  oft  iiber  (Suren  ®eftd)t§frci§  ^inau§,fo  jog  feine  3^gfeit 
unb  Siebe  ju  (5ud)  itjn  fcalb  tticber  an  cure  (geite,  ja,  ftellte  ifjn  an 
Gurc  <SteIIe.  @ure  $reuben  unb  (Sure  l^eiben,  (Suer  $timpfen  unb 
(*uer  9?ingen,  (Suer  <£orgen  unb  (guer  30?itl)en,  fie  fanben  eincn 
SBieber^alt  in  i^m;  (Er  oerftanb  Snd)  ganj  unb  gar,  unb  bafoer 
fatten  feine  SSorte  einen  fo  eigentl)iimUd)en  9?ei^  unb  jjutfjunlidjen 
©djtnctj.  ^^r  fii^ltet,  ber  SDfamn  fprad)  nidjt  oon  obcn  Ijerab,  fon* 
bern  t>on  innenijcrauS,  fagte  @ud)  nur,it)ad  $ty  bod)  amgnbe  felbft 
tjattet  einfe^en  fonncn;  furj,  mie  ein  53ruber,  nur  tone  etner,  ber 
toeifer,  beffer  unb  evfa^rener  war.  1)a^  ft>ar'3aud)  tt)aS  i^n,  au^cr 
feinem  fyeltfprubelnben  SBi^e,  gum  inillfommenen  Slf)eilne^mer  an 
Gruren  ^reuben,  ^um  erfe^nten  £rofter  in  Seibcnftunben  madjtc. 
Diele  Ib'nnten  nur  in  biefer  SBcrf ammlung  auftreten  unb  jeugen, 
er  i^nen  in  fd)ir>cren  £eiten  getocfen,  loie  er  fie  getroftet,  auf* 
gerid)tet  trie  er  il)nen  itbcr  bie  fd)timmften  Stage  t)intt>eggcf)otfen, 
bie  Slrtnen  gar,  benen  ermit  ber£f)atforool)(  ati  ntit  feinem  9?at^e 
beigeftanben. 

®od)  tnaren  beibe  ©aben,  fo  'luertljoott  fie  and)  ftnb,  nid)t  Don 
fo  fegen^reid)en  SStrfungen  gercefen,  ^atte  fein  praftifd)cr  Sinn  fie 
nid)t  geleitet  unb  auf  bie  red)te  .giele  gctenft.  <Sd)neII  erfannte  cr 
ben  ^erntountt  ciner  $rage,  erfa^te  i^n  unb  l)ic(t  iljn  feft  im  5tnge; 
fein  blofjer  <Sd)ein  fonntc  i^n  blenben  ober  irre  fii^ren.  2(((eS  nur 
[cid)gultig,fe(bft  bi3  jur  $entad)(a'i3tgung.  !Da- 
fd)arfen  etnfd)iteibenbenUrt^ei(e,bie  il)nt mand)inal  geinbe, 
id)  gtaube-ba«  fount,  aber  bod)  ernfte  Siberfad)erfd)aft  eintrug.  (?r 
liebte  e§,  blopeS  <£d)uugeprange  in  feiner  §ol)(l)eit  blo^  ju  fteflen. 
Unb,  bennod),  tt)ieberum  tnar  9iicmanb  me^r  bereit,  nad)  burcfyfodj* 
tenem^ampfe  grieben  su  Derfunbigen;  SScrfoljnung  311  itben  unb  311 
i)a§  na^enbe  5(Iter  fd)ien  ifyn  nod)  milber  ju  ftimmen: 


319 


£>erbe  unb  Sittcre  toegjuttlgen  unb  tljn  pm  23ermitt(er  alter 
©egcnfa^e  in  befonberer  Seife  p  befaljigen.  (ginigfeit,  $rieben, 
Slrbett,  ba3  toaren  [cine  Cofung§tt>orte  in  ben  te^ten  3ab,ren.  2Ber 
iDet^  ba^  beffer  a(3  Ofyr,  ©lieber  biefer  groften,  efyrenroertfjen  ®e= 
meinbe?  2Bte  fat)  e3  bei  @ud)  auS,  als  £)r.  £>uebf  d)  Dor  18  ^aljren 
ju  (gud)  !am?  SSte  ftefyt  ^^  ^^te  ba!  ^t)r  Ijab't  atle  (guer  reb= 
Ii(^  £f)cil  get^an  itnb  (Sure  ^aften  getragen.  £)od)  fpredje  i^ 
fid)crlid)  nur  au3(5nrem  eigenen  ^erjcn,  wenn  i^  [age,  bie  §aupt= 
arbeit  icurbe  Don  ifynt  gettjan;  int^mfanbet  ^retmn  feften  |)alt; 
er  begetfterte  Sn^.  ©djwere  3a^ve  famen  iiber  (gudj,  unb  faft 
waret^r  unter  ib,rer8aft  jufammengebrod^en;  bod)  (Suer  Scratljer 
»an!te  ntcfyt  in  fetner  Xreue;  it)m  fanf  ber  3Wut^  nid)t,unb  ani^m 
fyabt  ^^r  ben  ©urtgen  ftet«  neu  erfrifdjt. 

(Seine  Ijodjfte  48egabung  aber  war  unftreitig  bie  be«  fjeqgettnn* 
nenben  9?ebner§.  S)a  fal)et,  ba  fitfyltet  ^b,r  ben  ganjen  Sftann; 
ba  ^ortet  3I)r  ben  ®tang  fetner  @eele,  ber  fo  roofyltfiuenb  an  Suer 

brang.  ,,3I)m  inaren  alte  §er,^en  untertl)an."  3JZit  grower 
beb,err[d)te  er  alle  (Satten  ber  9^enfd)en[eele;  ba(b 
fd)Iug  er  bie  tiefften  Xone  an  unb  fiitfte  (Sure  9tugen  mit  ^^rcinen; 
balb  ergtng  er  fid)  in  leicfyten,  faft  tanbelnben  2fte(obien,  unb  jtoang 

ein  freunbltd)  Sci^etn  unb  ^uniden  ab;  ba(b  g(iib,te  in  feiner 

ba8  gsuer  att-^ebratfdjer  53egeiftcrung  unb  gucEten  auf  bie 
(Sinai;  ba(b  (eud)tete  barang  ba«  mitbere  8id)t  moberner 
3been;  balb  fpra^  anSiljm  ber  alte,  unbeugfame,  ftolje,  energifdje 
^ube,  balb  loieberum  ber  freifyeitSliebenbe,  fc^onenbe  nad)fid)tige 
unb  friebfertige  amcrifantf^e  ^Biirger,  uberallaber  n?ar  Seben,  ©cift, 
©djarffinn  unb  tiefeS  ©entiitf)  ju  Derfpiiren.  <3clbft  bie  uerroicfet* 
ten  ©ange  ber  alten  rabbinifd)en  @d)riftbeutung  »erfd)ma'{)te  er 
nid)t  unb  tote  metfterljaft  uerftanb  cr  fie  ju  gebrau^en,  imnter  aber 
fitl)rte  er  ben  §orer  tuieber  ^inauf  unb  fyinauS  in'3  frifc^e,  tljattge 
£eben,  auf  bie  §ol)e  ber  ,3eit,  p  ben  gebietenben  'pflidjten  bed  2ln* 
genbltd §.  ^>od)  itbcr  aflem  f c^webte  ber  ® otteSgebant'e,  ber  ©otteS* 
gtaube,  bie  ©otte§Iiebe  unb  bie  baran  entjimbete  30?enfd)enltebe. 
9^unfeib^r  oerroaift— ia,  ba§  iftbaS  tt>a^rt)aft  bejeidjnenbe 
Sort;  benn  $fy  b,abt  (Suren  geifttgen  3Sater  Dertoren  unb  fo 
tid),  in  ber  SSolIfraft  feines  Sebend  itnb  Sirfen8r  auf  ber 
feine«  njoljlocrbienten  MjmeS.  3fjr  ftel)t  beftiir^t  Dor  ber  gebro-- 
rf)enen  §Ufle.  ^at^toS  feb,t  $fa  (guc^  einanber  an.  faun  e 


—  320  — 

benn  waljr  fein,  ba§  wtr  nun  ofme  unfcrn  £>r.§uebfd:)  werbenleben 
muff  en?   2Ba3  foil  au3  un3  werben,  nn'r  tuaren  fo  deruwdjfen  mtt 


33enn  $l)r  and)  auf  bie  £>ittfe  ber  Sdjmeftergcmeinben  unb  \\y 
rer  ©eiftlidjen  ftets  lucrbet  rcdjncn  fb'nnen,  fo  t'ann  ba§  Sure  ge- 
redjte  @orge  um  bte  ^uhmft  nidtf  milbern.  2lber  tt>a3  famr*  ? 
9hm,  ber  ©ebanfe  an  ben,  ber  G?iid)  ncidjft  ®ott,  ftetd  aus  guren 
©djWtertgfetten  geljolfen;  berfclbeumben  $fy  trauert.  SSom  gro- 
§cn  unb  frommen  Seljrer  be3  Slltert^um'd  wirb  un^  uberltcfcrt, 
baj?  er  ctnft  t)om  ^clbe  na^  ber  Stabt  juritctfcljrenb,  lauteS  SBefje- 
rufcn  au§  bcrfelbcn  ertonen  ^orte.  ®a  fagte  er,  fid)  berul)tgcnb  : 
!ann  ntdjt  au§  mctncm  |)cmfe  fommen,  bcnn  bte  a)?cinen 
gelernt,  feberlet  Uugema^,  fei  e3  aud)  not^  fo  unennartct, 
mtt  rul)tfjcr  (Srgcbuncj  in  ben  gottlidjen  SStllen  jju  ertragen;  fie 
werben  niemaU  in  fold)  tier^rieiflung&t)olle§  ^ammern  auebrcdicn. 
®ent'en  irir  unS  nun,  unfcr  geliebtcr  unb  oere^rter  Scorer  unb 
greunb  fei  eben  nur  ouf  eine  $3eife  t>orau§  gegangen,  um  bie  luo^l- 
oerbiente  Ofufye  gu  fud)en,  iDtegen  loir  un§  in  ben  fdjonen  Xraum, 
er  fomme  twieber  gu  un§—  o,  un'e  frenbig  luitrbe  id)  bann  an  bicfcr 
©telle  fte^en!  —  S^iin  ^ore  er  ba^  eine  ©emcinbe  in  biefer  @tabt  in 
lauten  ^'lagen  iiber  i^r  Unglitc!  fid)  ergefye  unb  jttternb  in  bie  $u- 
lunft  bticfe,  Riiirbe  er  bann  nidjt  aut^  aitSrufcn:  "  J)a§  !ann  metne 
©emeinbe  nidjt  fein.  ^cr  l)abe  ic^  ja  ,^u  lange  in  Sort  unb  £fyat 
ben  SSeg  be§  8eben3  ge^eigt,  al§  ba§  fie  je  mut^lo§  merben  unb  an 
fid)  felbft  Dersweifeln  fonnte." 

^uritclfeljren  im  glctfddc  tt)irb  er  nun  nidjt;  fo  laffet  tljn  tin 
®etfte  niemals  Don  (5uc^  fdjciben.  SSon  feincn^ippen  merbet  ^l)r 
ba§  ermutfyigenbe  SSort  nimmer  mef)r  ^bren;  fo  taffet  e§  benn  in 
(Suren  $er3en  ftiteberljallen.  ^r  Ijabct  alle  2)Zittcl  erfdjb'pft,  fin* 
net  auf  neue,  um  ben  gcltebten  Sefyrer  su  efjren;  f)ier  fte^t  ba^  9}?o= 
nument,  baS  er  fid)  gefeijt.  <Sud)et  e§  in  fetnem  ©lan^eunb  feiner 
gefcgnctcn  SBirffamfeit  gu  er^alten;  laffct  ben  ©cift  ber  £raft,  be* 
ber  ^tebe  unb  be§  erleud)teten  ^ortfdjritte^  ntemal3  au* 
tDcidjcn  unb  (Sure  .Srihmft  ift  gcborgen.  (gin  ^elb  ber  gefeg= 
nctcn  Xl)iitigfeit  I)abei(^nod)  itidjt  bcrittjrt:  bie  9Jcligion§fd)ule  ; 
er  fyat  fie  311  einer  ber  beften  unb  woljt  aud)  jur  befud)teftcn  in  ber 
(Stabt  crljobcn.  (Sin  adjter  tinbcrfreunb,  unb  tiod  33crftanbntB 
fiir  bie  fjolje  ^Bebeutung  ber  ^d)ule  in  unfercn  Xagen,  gab  cr  fid) 


—  321  — 

f)hi  ber  ^fteqe  berfelben  mtt  bem  Doflften  ©fcr.  £>te  ®tnber  fill)!* 
ten,baf3  fie  fcin  £erj  befapen,  unb  gaben  tijmbafitr  gent  bag  ifjrige. 
>DWgcn  fie  bcnn  nun  fyeranfommen  unb  tfyren  (gfjrensott  auf  ben 
•Sarg  bc£  gcttcbtcn  &fjrer8  legen. 

As  Dr.  Gottheil  concluded,  the  Sunday  school  children, 
numbering  three  hundred  escorted  by  their  teachers  passed 
down  the  aisle  and  placing  a  standard  of  flowers  upon  the 
coffin,  filed  out  of  the  building  upon  either  side.  The  scene 
was  a  very  affecting  one  and  very  few  of  the  large  audience 
could  restrain  a  tear  as  the  children  sadly  walked  by.  A 
deputation  of  the  Free  School  children,  headed  by  their 
teachers  also  deposited  a  wreath  of  flowers  and  passed  by, 
followed  by  children  of  the  Hebrew  Sheltering  Guardian 
Society.  Floral  offerings  were  also  made  by  teachers  and 
pupils  of  63d  Street  public  school  and  the  choral  society  of 
the  Sabbath  school. 

A  hymn  "  Sleep  thy  last  sleep"  was  rendered,  and  Kev. 
Henry  S.  Jacobs  spoke  as  follows: 

My  heart  is  stricken  with  unfeigned  and  poignant  sorrow 
as  I  stand  here  to  fulfill  a  painful  and  sacred  duty.  It  is  a 
sorrow,  whose  depth  cannot  be  sounded  by  the  short  plum- 
met of  rhetorical  utterances.  All  these  sad  surroundings — 
"the  trappings  and  the  suits  of  woe" — remind  us  of  the  loss 
we  have  experienced.  We  feel  almost  overwhelmed  with 
the  extent  of  the  calamity  which  has  befallen  us.  The  blow 
has  come  suddenly  and  unexpectedly.  It  is  hardly  realizable. 
It  seems  as  tho7  but  yesterday  Adolph  Huebsch  was  amongst 
us,  full  of  exuberant  confidence,  full  of  radiant  expectation, 
full  of  untiring  energy.  At  this  very  hour,  one  short  week 
ago,  he  was  with  us,  his  colleagues  of  the  Ministers'  Asso- 
ciation, counseling  together  on  measures  tending  to  the 
general  good  of  our  Hebrew  community,  co-operating  in 
words  of  benevolence  and  charity  which  we  were  then  aid- 
ing, and  in  fostering  the  cause  of  religious  education  amongst 
the  poor  and  needy  of  our  faith.  In  those  deliberations  we 
had  the  benefit  of  his  ripe  judgment  and  practical  experi- 
ence. He  was  as  earnest  and  vigorous  in  the  expression  of 


—  322  — 

his  opinions  as  ever,  giving  no  token  that  the  end  of  a  useful 
life  was  so  near.  To  him  the  call  came  as  to  the  great  law- 
giver, with  his  feet  reaching  almost  the  land  of  promise, 
standing  on  the  Pisgah  heights  of  happy  hopes,  with  eyes 
that  could  survey  their  fruition  from  afar,  even  if  he  was  not 
permitted  by  Divine  wisdom  to  reach  the  goal  of  gratified 
fulfilment.  Like  Moses,  too,  he  died,  ,n  "DJ7  "the  servant 
of  God." 

Yes,  he  has  gone  from  us,  from  congregation,  from 
friends,  from  colleagues;  and  if  we  grieve,  it  is  in  no  spirit 
of  a  repining  unworthy  of  the  teachings  of  religion;  in  no 
spirit  of  doubt  which  would  be  contrary  to  that  resignation 
wThich  befits  us.  But  even  as  we  submit,  we  cannot  withhold 
the  exclamation  of  grief  which  finds  utterance  in  the  words: 
irttfNl  miOy  J"6CJ  "the  crown  has  fallen  from  our  heads." 

If  this  be  the  burthen  of  our  lament,  what  must  the  keen- 
ness be  in  the  hearts  of  those  who  were  so  near  and  dear  to 
him :  in  the  family  circle  disrupted  by  the  loss  of  the  hus- 
band and  the  father,  whose  tender  love  showed  itself  in  the 
circumstances  of  the  happy  home-life!  But  not  even  the 
hand  of  friendship  may  penetrate  the  veil  of  sanctity  which 
guards  from  public  view  that  immeasurable  grief.  We 
affectionately  sympathize  with  it.  We  share  it.  It  is  our's 
also,  as  of  his  kith  and  kin,  for  we  feel  the  truth  of  the  Tal- 
mudic  declaration  :  Vnllp  ^Ofl  OBltf  Cm  "when  a  sage  dies, 
all  are  his  relatives." 

If  however  life  has  its  cares  and  vicissitudes,  its  misfor- 
tunes and  its  sorrows,  Religion  has  its  comforts  and  its 
solaces.  It  gives  strength  to  the  weak,  hope  to  the  despair- 
ing, consolation  to  the  bereaved.  So  let  it  instruct  us  on 
this  mournful  occasion.  Though  his  place  here  shall  know 
him  no  more,  the  fragrant  memory  of  Adolph  Huebsch  will 
long  be  preserved  in  many  loving  hearts.  It  will  survive 
the  grave,  and  remain  as  a  blessing.  The  lesson  of  such  a 
life  cannot  perish  in  the  dust  and  be  lost  forever.  Not  be- 
cause of  his  eminence  in  learning,  not  because  of  his  literary 
reputation,  not  because  of  his  phenomenal  linguistic  abili- 
ties, but  because  of  THE  GOOD  MAN, — the  man  of  a  tender  and 


—  323  — 

an  affectionate  disposition,  the  man  of  genial  nature,  pos- 
sessed of  those  magnetic  qualities  which  attracted  so  many 
hearts  to  his.  Nor  this  alone.  Because  also  of  his  work, 
which  he  pursued  with  unremitting  zeal  and  unflagging 
energies,  giving  himself  no  respite  from  toils  which  bore 
heavily  on  him,  and  whose  probable  effects  we  have  to-day 
to  deplore.  In  that  ministerial  calling  which  strains  to  the 
fullest  tension  every  faculty  of  the  mind,  he  never  faltered. 
In  its  numberless  sacrifices  on  the  altar  of  conscientious  duty 
he  was  never  backwards  with  his  offerings;  and  we,  his  fel- 
low-laborers in  the  field  of  clerical  life,  who  know  what  those 
demands  are  on  heart,  mind,  body  and  soul,  know  also  the 
penalty  which  often  has  to  be  paid. 

To  the  last,  his  work  was  foremost  in  his  thoughts,  espe- 
cially that  work  which  he  loved  and  valued  most,  the  work 
of  Education.  Here  was  his  proudest  and  most  prized 
sphere  of  exertion.  He  saw,  with  a  clear  vision,  that  the 
children  were  the  safeguards  of  Judaism:  that  according  as 
their  intelligent  comprehensions  of  religious  obligation  was 
fostered  into  practice,  so  would  the  future  safety  of  the 
Faith  be  assured.  Education  was  therefore  with  him  the 
recognized  weapon  of  combat  to  gain  the  victory  over  that 
meretricious  and  degenerate  philosophy  which  would  under- 
mine all  religious  convictions,  obliterate  every  sentiment  of 
reverence  for  the  past,  and  leave  us  only  a  cold  and  barren 
future,  impotent  to  sustain  us  in  life's  conflicts,  or  to  com- 
fort us  in  our  defeats  and  vicissitudes.  He,  this  man  of 
science,  laughed  to  scorn  the  sophistries  which,  under  the 
pretentious  guise  of  science,  aimed  at  the  destruction  of 
Judaism. 

In  true  learning,  he  perceived,  lay  the  antidotes  to  coun- 
teract the  poison  of  this  materialism  which  captivates  the 
inexperienced  by  the  false  glitter  of  a  false  philosophy;  and 
so  Education  became  his  wratchword.  Those  children  who 
but  a  few  minutes  ago  trooped  in  tearfully  through  these 
aisles,  bringing  these  floral  tributes  of  affection,  bear  testi- 
mony to  a  success  that  will  stand  the  test  of  Time,  and  re- 
main as  his  lasting  and  most  honored  monument. 


—  324  — 

And  so  to-day,  no  name  stands  higher  in  the  ranks  of 
teachers  of  our  faith  and  in  public  estimation  than  his.  He 
was  grand  in  life.  He  is  grander  in  death,  as  memory  hal- 
lowed and  softened  by  sorrow  brings  him  palpably  before 
our  mental  gaze,  giving  a  peculiar  significance  to  the  saying 
of  our  sages:  "The  righteous  are  greater  in  death  than 
even  in  their  life-time." 

Go  then,  colleague,  friend,  brother!  unto  thy  place  of 
rest  in  peace;  to  that  beatific  rest,  "under  the  shadow  of 
the  Divine  wings  of  mercy."  Thou  has  but  preceded  us  to 
the  blessed  goal  of  the  hereafter — how  long,  how  short  the 
interval,  who  knoweth?  Go  to  thy  well-earned  recompense 
in  the  realms  of  immortality: 

"There  never  bask  in  uncreated  rays, 

No  more  to  sigh  or  shed  the  bitter  tear, 
Together  hymning  the  Creator's  praise, 

In  such  society  yet  still  more  dear, 
"While  circling  Time  moves  round  in  an  eternal  sphere." 

Eev.  Mr.  Guinsburg  then  read  "Yosheb  beseser,"  and 
the  pall  bearers  raised  the  cofiin  from  the  bier  and  conveyed 
it  to  the  hearse,  followed  by  the  ministers  present.  The 
funeral  cortege  was  over  half  a  mile  in  length.  The  remains 
were  interred  in  Linden  Hill  Cemetery. 

AT   THE    CEMETERY. 

When  the  cortege  reached  the  cemetery  it  was  received 
by  a  large  concourse  who  had  awaited  it  there  and  greeted 
the  hearse  with  renewed  sobs  and  tears.  "When  the  nume- 
rous carriages  had  discharged  their  loads,  the  Eev.  Dr.  B. 
Szold  of  Baltimore,  a  life-long  friend  of  the  deceased,  made 
an  address  in  German.  Emotion  choked  his  fluent  utter- 
ance as  he  drew  the  picture  of  the  genial  man  in  his  home 
the  speaker  knew  so  well,  and  as  he  described  the  joy  with 
which  he  always  looked  forward  to  a  visit  to  the  Huebsch 
domicile,  contrasting  so  strongly  with  the  journey  just  made. 
He  described  the  many-sided  usefulness  of  the  pastor,  under 
the  guise  of  a  ship's  helmsman,  steering  his  constituents, 


—  325  — 

collectively  and  individually,  through  the  seas  of  life's  sor- 
rows and  trials;  when  the  helmsman  is  removed,  there  is 
indeed  anxiety  for  the  welfare  of  the  ship.  In  the  same 
affectionate  and  honoring  strain  the  speaker  continued  with 
the  eloquence  of  sincerity,  moving  not  only  women  but 
strong  men  to  convulsive  sobs  as  he  pictured  the  woe  and 
the  calamity  of  the  loss.  To  the  beloved  wife  and  children, 
he  bade  his  hearers,  bring  comfort  and  sympathy,  to  remind 
them  that  not  they  alone  mourned  a  dear  partner,  a  revered 
father,  but  that  the  flock,  mourned  with  them,  for  with 
them  they  were  orphaned  and  bereaved.  Dr.  Szold's  effort 
was  one  of  the  most  moving  features  of  a  highly  emotional 
day. 

After  Dr.  Szold,  Dr.  Maisner  of  this  city,  who  had  ob- 
tained permission  of  the  president  of  the  congregation,  made 
a  few  remarks,  likewise  in  German,  on  the  general  noble 
character  of  the  decased,  based  his  utterance  on  copious 
quotation  from  the  Song  of  Songs.  The  master  of  the  Free 
Sons  lodge  read  the  ritual  of  that  order,  whereupon  Rev. 
Mr.  Guinsburg  had  the  saddest  duty  of  all  to  perform,  so  he 
evidently  felt  it  to  be,  to  pronounce  the  very  last  words,  in 
the  holy  tongue,  over  the  body  of  his  revered  colleague, 
before  it  was  lowered  into  the  earth.  First  the  sons  of  the 
departed  and  closest  relatives,  next  his  colleagues  of  the 
Ministers'  Association,  then  his  other  friends  and  intimates, 
performed  the  sad  rite  of  sepulture  by  throwing  earth  re- 
verently on  the  coffin  of  the  honored  dead. 

The  shades  of  evening  had  already  begun  to  gather  when 
the  ceremonies  were  concluded.  The  following  were  the 
pall-bearers: 

Messrs.  Solomon  Simm,  Bernhard  Hamburger,  Moritz 
Kohner,  David  Greenfield,  Solomon  Bondy,  Joseph  Stern, 
Charles  Schwartz,  Isaac  Hartman,  David  Dinkelspiel,  Abra- 
ham Simm,  Kudolph  "Weiman  and  Marcus  Kohner.  The 
funeral  arrangements  were  complete  in  every  respect. 

The  services  were  attended  by  the  directors  of  the 
Hebrew  Free  School,  of  Mount  Sinai  Hospital,  of  the  Hebrew 
Orphan  Asylum,  Montefiore  Home,  Home  for  the  Aged  and 


—  326  — 

Infirm,  Sheltering  Arms,  Society  of  Ladies  of  Virtue,  and 
the  United  Hebrew  Charity,  and  by  the  members  of  the 
Aaawath  Chesed  Association,  Mount  Xeboh  Lodge  and  the 
Standard  Lodge. 

The  Memorial  Service. 

November  2,  1884. 

THE  gloomy  weather  did  not  prevent  thousands  from 
showing  their  respect  for  the  lamented  pastor  of  Ahawath 
Chesed  by  attending  the  Memorial  Service  in  his  honor;  nor 
could  the  unseasonably  early  hour  of  2  P.  M.  diminish  the 
attendanca  It  made  it  late,  and  consequently  the  proceed- 
ings did  not  commence  till  2 : 30.  At  that  time  the  sombre- 
draped  building  was  very  full;  delegations  from  each  of  the 
important  congregations  of  the  city,  in  many  cases  consist- 
ing of  the  President  and  entire  Board  of  Trustees,  and  even 
Philadelphia  congregations,  in  spite  of  the  distance,  testify- 
ing to  their  esteem  by  the  presence  of  an  honored  delegate 
or  two.  The  various  charitable  institutions  were  there  rep- 
resented, to  evidence  their  sense  of  the  loss  of  a  faithful  co- 
worker.  The  mourning-hangings  were  the  same  as  on  the 
occasion  of  the  funeral,  but  on  the  sad  spot  where  the 
casket  had  rested  was  now  an  excellent  crayon  of  the  de- 
ceased pastor,  which  seemed  yet  once  again  to  bend  direct 
glances  from  the  desk  upon  his  accustomed  auditors. 

After  the  choir  had  sang  the  moving  music  of  the  dirge, 
"Herr,  was  ist  der  Mensch?"  Eev.  Dr.  Kohler  delivered  an 
eloquent  address  in  German  on  the  text  Zachariah  xi.,  2: 
"Wail,  fir-tree,  for  fallen  is  the  cedar!"  in  which  he  at 
length  and  with  evident  sincerity,  deplored  the  loss  of  so 
much  learning  and  eloquence,  now  lost  forever  to  American 
Israel.  His  panegyric,  though  laying  especial  stress  on  the 
description  of  the  deceased  pastor's  learning  and  wisdom, 
pointed  out  the  great  qualities  of  heart  which  so  endowed 
him  to  his  flock,  and  which  made  him  emphatically  a  man  of 
the  people,  living  among  them  and  for  them.  Dr.  Kohler's 
words  were  listened  to  with  marked  interest,  and  the  half 
houi  he  occupied  went  by  very  quickly. 


—  327  — 

After  a  hymn  by  the  children  of  the  school,  Eev.  Dr. 
de  Sola  Mendes  gave  the  English  oration,  and  fast-falling 
tears  attested  that  his  words  had  found  echo  in  the  hearts 
of  those  present.  Another  hymn  followed,  whereupon  the 
Eev.  Dr.  Jastrow,  of  Philadelphia,  delivered  the  following 
sermon: 

(Sine  ©eracinbe  in  Xrauer,  cine  9Migiondgenoffenfd)aft,  bie  ifjr 
^aupt  In  ben  ©djleier  bed  SBititoentljumd  fyullt,  ift  fein  nteber= 
beugenber  unb  DersntetfhmgdDotter  Slublicf,  fonbern  ein  erl)eOenber 
unb  troftreidjer:  —  erljebenb  unb  troftreid)  fur  3Dieienigen,  benen 
fcer  Job  bad  tfjeuerfte  33efi£tf)um  fyat  entttffen;  erfjebenb  unb  rroft* 
reid)  fitr  £iejenigcn,  tocldje  um  bie  fdjtoer  33etroffenen  fid)  fdjaaren 
nidjt  blo§  aid  mttfit^(enbe  unb  oon  53etleib  crgrtffene  ^reunbe,fon- 
bern  ate  TOtrauentbe,  2JJttbetroffene. 

SSer  ba§  Sd)Iud)3en  geprt,  ba«  au§  ttefgepreBter  23ruft  empor 
fid)  rang,  ate  bie  fterbltdje  ^iille  bed  cjetiebten  33ottelel)rerd  in  biefe 
trauert)erfimbenben  faunae  get>rad)t  umrbe,  wer  bie  Sl^ranen  ge* 
fe^en,  tceldje,  ber  Offentlidjfctt  tro^enb,  oud  ben  ?lugen  ^eroor  fid) 
brtingten  unb  iiber  bie  gefurdjten  Sangen  berer  fierabrollten,  bencn 
man  e§  anfab,  ba^  fie  bad  Scbcn  tangft  gcgen  Iranlfjafte  (Smpfinb* 
famfeit  geftat)It  I)at;  njer  bie  gcbrangten  2ftaffen  gefeb/e^bie  in  bte^ 
fern  @otte3l)aiife  unb  au^erljalb  mtt  Derljaltenem  It^em  ftanben, 
ati  modtcn  fte  bte  ^Bebcutung  bed  ^rauermomentd  tief  einfaugen, 
bea  ^ttd),  bcr  i^nen  geboten  war,  bid  ^ur  91eige  leercn;  mer  Dor 
^tDaujig  Xagcn  bie  freinullicjen,  ober  beffer  bk  unfreimittigen, 
^unbgebungen  tiefer  (SrgriffenI)eU  wa^rgenommen,  toeldje,  aud 
Jaufenben  Don  ©crjen  f)erDorgef)enb,emem  einsigen  SD7anne,einem 
ein^igen  ©ebanfcn,  einem  etngigcu  SBelje  gotten,  ber  b,at  ed  em* 
pfunben,  mie  <wd  ber  Xtefe  ber  ^rauer  bcr  Strop  emporiDad)iX  n?ic 
bie  X^rdne  ein  (Saatforn  ift,  aud  tt>e(d)cm  lautere  Seelenfreuben 
fid)  entfatten,  tine  ber  2:ob  tnad)tlod  ift  bem  Sebcn  gegenitber. 

Gin  Scorer  in  3l"nie£  fprad)  einft  ben  ftunbcrlidjen  Safc  aud: 
na  N^  ir2K  npr  wUnfer  (Srjuater  ^acob  ift  niemate  geftor* 
ben,"  unb  ba  feine  <2d)itter  ju  i()tn  fagtcn: 


toaren  bcmnad)  alle  jcne  groBartigen  ^unbgcbungcn  ber 
Don  lueldjen  bie  8d)rijt  berid)tet,  alle  ^ilagcn  unb  2eid)en= 


—  328  — 

feierlicfyfeiten  Don  ber  (Sinbatfamirimg  bte  jur  enbltdjen  23eftattung 
in  ber  -Jftuttercrbe  eitel  @djem  gemefen."  £>a  antiuortct  cr  iljncn: 
tmn  ••:«  frnpo  »3$  bejtefye  mid)  auf  einen  33ibetoer3,  ber  ba 
laittet: 

pimo  -|irunn  ^:n  ^  bitrw*  nnn  $>*o  SPJP  nsj;  K-^D  tsx 

•c^tf  pKD  *jjm  PW 

,#itrd)te  btc^  ntdjtmetn  ^nedjt  .^afob,  wnb  Derjage  titdjt  o  3[rael; 
benn  fietje^d)  erlofe  bid)  au3  ber  gerne  unb  betnen^amen  cms  bent 
8anbe  feiner  (Sefangenfdjaft;' 


no 

§tcr  ftnb  -3;afob  felbft  nnb  fetn  ©ante  in  gletdjcr  Sigenfdjaft 
neben  ehtanbcr  geftcllt;  tote  [em  Same  am  i'eben  ift,  fo  i|t  aud) 
^afob  felbft  am  Sebcn."  —  (Sin  loetfeS  Sort  I)at  biefer  2el)rer  ^ier 
ntebergelegt.  Seffen  @amen  iinb  <Saaten  am  Seben  finb,  tft  fefbft 
ntd)t  tobt;  er  tft  un3  nitr  entritctt. 

2Ba3  ^aben  toir  an  X)r.  Slbolf  ^uebfc^  befeffen?  Ober  rtd)tiger 
gefragt:  2Ba8  beft^en  tt>ir  an  itjm? 

S3or  Sttlem  ben  ©ele^rten,  ben  gorfdjer,  einen  SRann,  bcr  bie 
©elc^rfomfeit  Kcbte  um  i^rer  felbftmtUen.  5Benn  er  Don  ben  9)M)e= 
iua(tungen  feiner  anftrengenben  ®erufstptigfeiten  auvjraljcn  wollte, 
jog  er  fic^  in  bie  hammer  ber  gorfdjung  guritrf,  nnb  bie  Stunben, 
bie  er  bort  in  (gmfamfeit  gubradite,  inaren  itjm  bie  licbften  in  biefem 
(Srbcnleben.  (5r,  bcr  in  ber  ©efattigfcit  unb  bcm  freubtgen  33erlet)r 
mtt  ben  i^ebcnbcn,  toie  felten  @incr,  Ijetmifd)  tear,  ^atte  nod)  etn 
tljeuereS  ^eim,  fein  trauteS  ^eifammenfein  mtt  bcnen,  bie  ttor 
-^a^rtjitnberten  unb  3a^r^ufenben  imtcr  ben  Scbenben  inallten 
unb  totrften,  badjtcn  unb  bidfjteten  —  bas  tear  be3  fjeitcren,  tr»i^ 
ftrafjlcnben  907anne§  jtrciteS  §eim,  fetn  eigeneS  £>ciligtl)um! 

92id)t  ju  unterfd)a^en  tft  bie  23ebeutung  unb  ber  (ginftup  cine* 
33o(MeI)rerS,  bcr  neben  feiner  SSertrautljett  mtt  ben  etubten,  bcren 
er  fitr  fcinen  53emf  nicfjt  entbeljren  lann,  gu  glcid)er  £tit  cm  ©e- 
Ic^rtcr  tft,  an  beffen  ^orfdjungen  feiner  me^r  al§  er  felbft  unb  alien- 
falls  einige  @ingctt>etl)te  fid)  erlaben.  (Setn  blopcd  SSor^anbenfcm, 
fein  Sebcn  in  bcr  ©efammtfjett  giebt  ben  9M)ett  unb  ben  gernen  bie 
Don  tljtti  toiffcn,  don  if)m  prcn,  tl)ncn  fclber  unb  i^m  felber  unbe= 
tt)u§t,  cine  ibeate  ^eben§rid)tung;  er  ^ttft  ba§  Sebcn  oerebefn  unb 
Derfdjoncrn,  unb  lange  nod),  nad)bem  er  baljin  gegangen/  tva'gt  ber 


—   329  — 

Ort,  an  bem  er  gennrft,  ben  ©tempet  feincd  ®cifte8.  ®ef)t 
bte  alien  ©cmctnbcn  bed  curopaifdjen  gcftlonbc*  an,  lute  jcbe  uon 
il)ncn  in  iljrcr  ©gentljumttdjfeit  etn  £)enrtnal  ift,  auf  mcldjcm  ber 
SKame  obcr  bte  9?amen  berer  eingegraben  finb,  tueldje  bte  9tod)ttelt 
mit  23crel)rung  nennt. 

2£er  ben  getftigen  $ortfd)ritt  unfercd  jungen  Canbed  tjter 
beobadjtet,  faun  letdjt  bte  ^u^tapfcn  berer  erfcnnen,  lucldjc  bie 
ibcaten  ©liter  be$  SebenS  ()od)i'd)iiljen  te^rten  burrf)  tljr  eigeneS 
Scben.  S3er  tnSbefonbcre  bie  (Sntintcflung  unferer 
noffcn  in  btcfem  ^anbe  iljrcr  ^ret^eit  tnncrtjalb  bcr  le^tcn 
gc^ntc  genait  toerfolgt  Ijat,  t)at  eS  mtt  etgenen  3lugen  gefeljcn,  rate 
jencnt  ^caliamus,  bcr  bte  gan^e  (gnergte  bc6  aD^cnfdjcngctfteS  bem 
(Srraerbe  gujuraenben  befltffen  iftrunb  allcnfalis  nod)  bcr  matcrteUen 
2Bot)Itl)attgfeit  cine  Minute  fciner  tfyenrcn  gcit  ^n  opfcrn  fid)  tnts 
[d)Iic^t,  allmaljftd)  bcr  atte  iitbifd)e  3bcalt§nutg  fid)  jitgcfcllt  unb, 
raie  e§  oon  }cl)cr  in  Qftatl  war,  ntit  feinem  prafttfdjen  ^ritbcr  in 
oer(oI)nUd)er  (Stntradji  tebt  nnb  h)ir!t.  Scr  itns  beobadjtct,  f'ann 
lua^rneljmen,  lute  3fracr«@o!^ne  nnb  £od)ter  tmnter  mel)r  nub  mefyr 
e§  ternen,  ben  ^bealen  ber  53ilbung  nnb  ©eftttung  oor  ben 
materietlen  (5nuerbnt[(cn  unb  finnlidjcn  ©enitffen  ben  23orjug  jn 
geben;  nn'e  itnfere  ^"S^b  mcljr  unb  mefyr  ben  ^Bemf  in  fid)  fitfjlt, 
in  bie  Slrbcitcn  bcr  ftultur  unb  bed  vctncn  SEtffenS  einjutretcn,  anf 
bem  frieblid)en  @d)tad)tfctbe  be*  ©eifteS  mitsu!ampfen,  an  ben 
(grot) crungen  be§  ©cifteg  einen  53euteantl)cil  ju  bcanfprud)cn. 

Sad  bidlang  an  bem  amerifantfdjen  3frac^tcn,  raenn  cr  bte 
©tatten  feiner  fritl)crcn  ^ned)tfd)aft  ttncbcr  betrat,  am  meiften  unb 
nid)t  am  angeneljmftcn  aufftel,  luar  cine  jur  @d)an  gctragcnc,  ober 
nur  fd)led)t  ucr^el)lte  3Sercl)rung  bed  irbifd)en  ^Befi^ed,  ber  ©laube 
an  bte  2fllmadjt  unb  Sllteinmadjt  bed  ©olbed. 

Sie  ift  fo  33tclcd  fo  ganj  anberd  gciuorben  in  fo  fuller  geit? 
$n  ben  8d)rfa'lcn  bcr  2Biffenfd)aft  fel)cn  im'r  unfcre  ^ugcnb,  unb 
nid)t  immcr  Mop  bte  bcr  @orgen  bed  £ebend  entijobene;  auf  ben 
53anfcn  bed  ©efc^cd  fctjen  rair  unfere  Banner  unb  ntd)t  blo§  bie 
auf  ractdjcn  Xcppid)cn  gro^geiuad)fenen;  in  ben  @pred)falcn  bed 
©eban!cnd  finb  ji'tbifd)e  Stamen  nid)t  la'nger  eine  feltene  3ludnal)me, 
unb  bod)  tritt  Reiner  bort  bed  trbifdjen  ©tanked  tucgcn  ein.  3a, 
nennt  man  bie  beftcn  tauten  im  Canbe,  fo  luerbcn  aud)  bte  unfcren 
genannt.  X)ad  Ijat  ber  ftiUc  nngefud)te  Sinflu^  fotdjer  0}txanner 


—  330  — 

rote  unfer  greunb  einer  roar,  benrirft,  unb  bkfer  Grinflujj  bcmert  fort. 
Sefyt  bie  ^ugenb  an,  bie  fid)  freirotlltg  iim  lijn  gcfdjaart;  bcr  ©eift, 
ber  fie  belebt,  ift  ber  ©eift  bed  ^bcali^ntu^  bed  frozen,  lebcne= 
fraftigen,  rote  er  in  £)r.  £webfd)  felbft  crfd)ien.  £ie  eamen,  bie  er 
audgeftreut,  roerben  roeiter  gcbeiljcn,  urn  3frael  cine  geadjtete 
©tellung  in  itnferem  £aube  $u  erroerben.  23alb  roirb  man,  roenn 
man  Don  und  fprid)t,  nid)t  blofj  unfere  gefdjaftige  Sftifyrigfeit,  iinfere 
2)ia'Bigfett,  unfern  gamilienfinn,  unfern  frieblic^en  ©e^orfam  unb 
aUenfallS  unfere  SBo^ltI)attg!eit  mit  9?ed)t  rit^men,  fonbern  and) 
unfere  ^eitra'ge  jur  23ereblung  bed  ^ebens  in  £nnft  unb  X^id)tung, 
jur  (jrroetterung  bed  a)cenfd)eugeifted  in  (SrfenntntB  unb  ©cfittung 
mit  grcuben  rii^men,  unb  bie  3a¥  ^rer  unter  unS,  roeldj:  bie 
broblofe  ©ele^rfamfcit  unb  bie  gerotnulofe  ^orfdjung  in  §od);:iutf) 
oerfpotten,  roirb  roicber  bad  2?o(f  bed  ®ud)ed  roerbcn,  unb  rocnn  bie 
©efd)id)te  nad)  ben  eaemtinnern  forfdjcn  roirb,  roeldje  foldje  5aatcn 
im  Sanbe  bed  9?eatidmud  audgeftreut,  roirb  fie  !^r.  21.  Duebfd)  aid 
eincn  ber  fdjroerftbelabenen  finben. 

2c(ten  ift  ber  priicf gejogcne  @ele^rte  jitgleid)  citi  gottbegnabeter 
^Solfdrcbncr;  bcr  ftille  ©ebanfe  roirb  oft  fd)cu,  roenn  cr  Don  fcinem 
gam^enltdjte  an  ben  offenen  £ag  tjinaudgefiitjrt  rocrbcn  foil.  2lber 
roenn,  roie  in  bent  -Jftanne,  ju  beffen  (5l)re  roir  ^ier  ncrfammclt  finb, 
@ele^rfam!cit  unb  $?cbnergabe  fid)  paaren,  bann  tragt  jebed  Sort 
bad  ©enrage  bed  £enfcrd. 

(Sin  Center  roar  £r.  ^)uebfd);  nid)t  jener  ungcnieBbare  ^tto- 
fopl)  mit  einem  ferttgen,  coreilig  abgefd)loffenen  Sdjulf^fteme,  bem 
bie  23elt  fid)  fiigen  mu§  unb  mitBte  fie  babei  35crrcnfungcn  unb 
SSerjernmgen  erleiben,  roeld)e  fie  bid  jur  Unfenntltdjfeit  entftcllen; 
ntd)t  iencr  £f)eoretifer,  bcr  um  bad  V'ebcn  unb  bie  ^ebcn^auBcrungen 
um  iljn  l)cr  unbcfiunmert,  ju  bem  rcinen  ©eifte  311  fpredjen  uorgiebt 
ben  er  nirgenbd  finbet. 

(Sr  roar  cincr  jener  gottbegabten  Denter,  roeld)e  in  bem  beaten 
beu  roaltenben  ©eift  fel)en,  erfenncn  unb  ^u  crfcnncn  geben,  roeldje 
ben33ienen  gleid),aud  ben  lebenben  23lumen  bcn^onig  faugcn  unb 
ber  2DeIt  gum  ©cnuffe  barbicten.  £er  ed)te  3}cnfcr  ift  bcr  recfjte 
9?ebner.  Qr  fcnnt  ben  2ttenfd)en  trie  er  ift,  er  tennt  ben  5D?cnfdjen 
feiner  £ai  unb  fprid)t  ^u  iljm.  (5r  laufd)t  Reiner  Scele  ifjre  ©e* 
^eimntffe  ab  unb  giebt  fie  £ir  funb,unb  ^u  bift  iiberraf d)t,  erfreut, 
befdjamt,  ermutl)igt,  gebeffert.  ^a3  ift  bad  ©cljeimnip  fcincd  (5r- 


—  331  — 

fofged,  bed  3auberd,  ben  er  auditbt,  ber  33o(fdbelicbrt)eit,  bcrcn  er 
fid)  crfreut  unb  bie  itmt  $u  ftetd  neucn  Grfotgen  uerfjUft. 

£inb  unb  ©rctd,  Sctb  unb  .$ungfrau,  ®elet)rte  unb  Unge= 
bitbete,  fonnten  £)r.  ^mcbfd)  cerftefyen.  $cin  SBunbcr,  er  lefyrte 
Oeben  fid)  fclbft  berftetyen. 

Gin  foldjer  ©aemann  fann  [cine  eaaten  in  jeben  23oben  jum 
©cbctfjen  bringen,unb  incnn  er  unfrudjtbar  ift,il)n  befrudjten.  (gin 
fotdjcr  ©etft  ift  felbft  ein  4Baum,  ber  m  jeber  grbe  3S>ur5c( 
faffen  fann,  in  jebem  ^lima  griinen  unb  blii^en  unb  $riid)te 
tragcn  fann. 

3((§  an  bicfen  3lbrat)am  ber  ©otteSruf  erging: 


,,3iel)e  au§  bctnem  Sanbe,  beiner  §eimat^,  beinem  33aterf)aufe,  in 
ba§  8anb  bad  id)  bir  amuctfc,"  ba  fonnle  er  oljne  3a9cn  biefem 
9xufe  gef)ord)cn;  er  fitf)(te  in  fid)  bie  ^fifyiQfctt  ben  ©ottedaltar  auf 
frember  (5rbe  unb  and  f  rembcr  Srbe  ju  errid)ten,  •»'>  ci^n  frnp'H  ben 
9tanten  bed  ©otted  2Ibra()am3  im  ferncn  l^anbe  311  ocrfiinben,  ipie 
er  ed  baf)cim  getfyan,  unb  u?ad  2lbral)am  aid  £egen  unb  aid  2luf- 
gabe  juglcid)  aufgetragcn  mnrbc,  311  erfullen:  nr~!3  n\~ll  ,,3S>erbe 


Unb  fo  ift  er  jum  <£egen  geinorben.  O 
§eimatt)dlanbe  famen  feine  gfa'nsenbcn  SInlagen  ^ier  gur 
lung  unb  2lnrocnbung.  5)ort  gicbt  ed  fertige  ^nftittttionctt  an  bie 
fid)  ber  (£taub  bed  ^llterd  unlodlid)  angcicl^t,  orttid)e  ©ebraud)e, 
tue(d)e  bad  ©eprtige  oon  ©a^ungen  anoenommen,  (Sitten  unb  ®c- 
wofjnljcitett  su  fcft  geinoben  auf  bent  Sebftu^I  ber  £titf  urn  Ieid)t 
burd)fd)nitten  toerben  ju  fbnnen. 

^ct  aller  ^odjarfjtimg  uor  bcm  ©eifte,  ber  einft  in  itjnen  gc- 
roaltet,  crfcnnt  ber  tljatcnluftige  95o(fdfitl)rer  in  tljnen  oft  §inber- 
niffc,  bie  ^hitttgjttriumen  er  ber  fd)affenben  grit  itbcrlaffen  muf?, 
wcnn  er  nid)t  em  gcwaltfamed  $ttf&tm%9ttxtt  untcrnefjmen  unb 
ntit  bcm  53eftef)cnbcn  iu  Unfrtebcn  unb  Streit  fid)  t»crfel5cnr  unb 
and)  bad  33efte()endtt>ertl)e  gefa()rben  luill.  3Dort  in  ber  atten 
§eimat()  mare  9?icberrctccn  ber  ^3cginn  jebed  3tuf  baued,  unb  ,^um 
^iebcrrei^en  inar  £)r.  2(bolf  §ucbfd)  am  inenigften  angelcgt.  5(uf= 
baucn  war  fcin  23cruf,  unb  cin  53anmeiftcr  jeigte  er  fid)  in  biefcm 
^:i2  S'^N  ,~*:2  N'-.pn  /N  ,,5ccnne  bcinc 


—   332  — 

roefdje  §eil  oerbreiten  ioliett,  nid)t  blojj  3fracfd  ftinber,  fonbern 
3fraefd  grbaueiV' 

3m  bogmatifdjen  Streite  feme  $raft  511  erfdjbpfen  Derfd)mdl)te 
cr;  in  Ofrael'd  Seljre  bad  menfd)iid)e,  bad  oerfittlidjenbe,  bad  uer= 
fcinernbe  unb  toerebetnbe  £ultur  (gtement  gu  erfennen  unb  jur 
(Srfenntnit?  ju  bringen,  bad,  fill)  lie  er,  tear  bad  ifym  angeiDtefene 
@ebtet.  33erebelnb  [oil  bad  religtofe  Seben  toirfen,  §umanitiit  foil 
auf  bcm  Soben  ber  Religion  fic^  aufbaiien,  ber  ©ottedgtaube  foil 
ber  geld  fein,auf  welc^em  bie2)ienfd)enliebe  unerf^iittcrlic^  ml)et  - 
bad  uiarett  bie  ©ebatifen,benen  er  taiifenbfacf)  oerfctjiebenen  iinb  boc^ 
benfelben  Sludbmcf  gab.  Cbwof)l  em  gejcfyicfter  ^dmpe,  luar  er 
bcm  Streite  urn  2JZetnutigen  pcrjonli^  abljolb.  (Sr  Ijatte  ^u  Diet 
93ertraueu  in  bie  2ftad)t  ber  SSa^r^eit  unb  bed  ffaren  25crftanted, 
um  abenteucrlicfyen  fop^iftifd)  jugcfpt^tcn  Xl)eoricen,  mcfd)e  mtt 
bcm  Sdjein  ber  ©ele^rfamfett  anftraten,  feine  ftarfe  ^iraft  cnt- 
gcgen3uftellen. 

V3^ur  aid  neultd)  biefe  £f)eorteen  an  ^fraet'd  i'cbendfcrn  fid) 
tuagten,  ba  fdjroang  er  feine  ^anse  ber  flaren  -23cnjeidfiit)rung  mit 
ber  gefdjarften  ^pi^e  bed  Siged  fo  tuud)tig  tcte  ein  fampfeegcitbter 
©treiter.  Wlit  gefd)toffcnem  33ijire  fiimpfte  er,  id)  roetjs  ed  nidjt 
tnarum,  aber  an  bent  ©treidje  erfannte  man  ben  fiampfer,  ber  il)n 
fii^rte.  3f|"racf«  gamilicnteben  ttar  tfym  ein  §eiligtl)um,  bad  er 
$cinem  anjutaften  geftattetc. 

Slber  in  ber  ©eele  tear  i^m  ber  Streit  gumiber.  SBerf'e  bed 
griebcnd  311  forbern,  bad  tuar  feine  ^reube,  unb  in  biefer  grcubig^ 
feit  war  er  unennubltd);  biefe  greubigfett  h)UBte  er  Unbent  mit= 
pt^eiten;  biefe  Sittigfcit  erfe^te  i^m  immer  frifd)  bie  angcftrengte 
^raft. 

2Bol)I  burften  »tr  oon  biefer  $raft  ^offen,  bap  fie  nod)  lange 
unter  und  loirfen  werbe.  92adj  furjfidjttgcm  menfd)Iidcn  Urtljcii 
ift  er  und  gu  friif)  entriffen  morben.  33}ir  beft^en  fold)cr  ^rafte  tit 
unferem  Sanbe  nid)t  fo  uiele,  um  eine  Ieid)t  unb  ungefiil)(t  ent- 
be^rcn  ju  !dnnen.  Slber  @ott  ^at  ed  2Inbevd  genjolft;  &  iuei§  road 
Qr  getfyan. 

5^er  fUetpige  8aemann  ift  Ijeimgcrufen  toorben,  unb  I)at  ben 
2Burf  ber5tudfaat,  ben  er  in  fcinem@d)OBe  getragen,  abgctcgt.  ®cr 
wirb  iljn  aufnel)men  um  tueitcr  15U  ftrcuen  jur  ^eube  bcrcr,  roe(d)e 
bte  ©arben  fammeln?  3?or  biefer  grage  fte^en  ttir  rat^Iod. 


—  333  — 

aber  molten  un8  an  ba§  2$ort  unfcrcS  2£eij'cn  fjattcn: 
no  to  irztt  2py  bcr  ift  nid)t  tobt,  um  ben  fo  titcfe  tneincn: 

c"m  Kin  ^N  c^ns  IJHT  no 

SBeffen  ©etftesfamen  am  8ebcn  Mciben,  bcr  gcfyort  fetbft  bcm  Scben 
nnb  ben  Cebenben  an.  ,,2Ber  ben  33eften  fetner  3ett  genng  gctfyan, 
ber  fjat  gctcbt  fitr  alte  3cttcn." 

@ctn  2(nbcn!cn  fet  gcfcgnet!  ©otteg  S'Jame  fci  gcprtefcn  in 
greub'  unb  8ctb,  jc^t  imb  imm^rbar,  2tmen! 

After  more  excellent  singing,  Mr.  Otto  Horwitz  of  Mt. 
Neboh  Lodge,  made  a  tributary  address  in  behalf  of  the 
Free  Masons,  and  spoke  in  humble  recognition  of  the  fresh- 
ened insight  and  interest  which  Dr.  Huebsch's  co-operation 
had  given  his  brethren  in  the  Order  as  to  their  own  Masonic 
principles.  He  spoke  of  the  numerous  couples  who,  like 
himself,  owed  the  initial  blessing  on  their  career  in  married 
life  to  the  lips  of  the  deceased  pastor  and  felt  that  blessing, 
as  he  did,  to  be  one  of  the  most  prized  possessions  of  their 
life's  memory. 

To  him  followed  Mr.  Henry  Duschnes,  of  the  Ahawath 
Chesed  Association  of  the  young  people  of  the  congregation 
who  delivered  the  following  address: 

There  stand  in  many  European  cities,  in  the  public  gar- 
dens and  squares,  fountains  of  marble  and  of  bronze,  which 
the  cunning  hand  of  art  has  fashioned  into  the  forms  of 
heroic  men.  There  they  stand  unmoved,  while  from  their 
carved  lips  and  hands  the  glowing  waters  roll  on  and  on 
forever,  they  unable  to  check,  much  less  to  stop  their  con- 
stant flow.  Thus  it  is  that  time  runs  through  the  hands  of 
men,  and  only  when  the  recurrence  of  an  anniversary  of  some 
important  event  or  the  recollection  of  a  great  sorrow  ripples 
the  surface  of  the  stream  do  we  take  heed  of  the  years,  the 
months  and  the  days. 

"When  we  are  born,  thus  runs  on  old  legend,  aimed  at  us 
from  the  sea  of  eternity,  the  arrow  of  death  leaves  its  bow. 
So  long  as  it  flies,  we  live;  when  it  reaches  us,  we  must  die. 
Like  a  thunderbolt  from  a  cloudless  sky,  this  arrow  of  death 
has  fallen  in  our  midst,  and  struck  down  in  the  acme  of  his 


—  334  — 

usefulness  our  beloved  pastor,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Huebsch,  who 
for  the  past  eighteen  years  has  been  the  guiding  star  of  this 
congregation.  The  late  Rev.  Dr.  Huebsch  was  an  exempli- 
fication of  the  extent  to  which  a  superior  mind  can  influence 
the  formation  of  life's  character.  Endowed  by  nature  with 
talents  far  above  the  average  with  a  mind  capable  of 

"The  full  expression  of  the  mighty  thought 
The  strong  triumphant  argument," 

with  oratorical  powers  resistless  as  the  floods  of  Niagara — it 
were  not  alone  these  qualities  that  made  him  so  dear  to  the 
young  people  of  his  congregation.  They  may  be  sufficient 
to  found  the  reputation  of  a  great  preacher,  but  more  is  re- 
quired to  gain  the  esteem  and  love  of  young  hearts.  If  we 
ask  ourselves,  why  is  it  that  his  death  has  caused  such  wide- 
spread sorrow,  there  can  be  only  one  answer,  and  that,  be- 
cause while  possessing  superior  talents,  he  was  also  extremely 
kind  and  courteous,  never  wounding  the  feelings  of  any 
person  he  came  in  contact  with,  always  ready  to  help  and 
advise  us  in  the  affairs  of  our  association  with  his  bright  wit 
and  genial  disposition  carrying  sunshine  with  him  wherever 
he  went,  slow  in  making  promises  but  faithful  in  keeping 
them,  always  looking  at  the  brighter  side  of  life,  full  of  lofty 
aspirations  and  views  he  was  indeed  the  ideal  Jewish  minister. 
Indeed,  the  interest  for  the  affairs  of  the  young 
people  of  his  congregation  was  one  of  his  most  distin- 
guishing traits.  He  knew  every  scholar  of  his  Sunday 
School,  every  member  of  his  Y.  M.  A.  When  the  blushing 
bride  stood  before  him  to  wed  the  man  of  her  choice,  he  had 
known  her  since  childhood,  she  had  been  in  his  Confirmation 
class,  she  had  sung  in  the  choir,  and  the  groom  had  been  a 
member  of  his  Y.  M.  A. — he  had  attended  his  lectures  and 
was  now  ready  for  the  battle  of  life.  Known  by  all,  beloved 
by  all,  the  tears  of  the  children  are  the  most  precious  tribute 
to  his  memory.  My  own  recollections  of  the  late  Dr.  Huebsch 
extend  back  to  my  early  youth.  On  the  other  side  of 
the  great  ocean,  in  the  old  country  when  the  word  America 
seemed  like  a  dream,  have  I  known  him.  Like  a  vision  I 
can  recollect  accompanying  my  father  to  hear  his  first  ser- 


—  335  — 

mon  in  the  new  synagogue  in  Prague.  His  presence  at  my 
bar  mitzvah,  and  the  grief  manifested  at  the  time  of  his  de- 
parture, a  few  weeks  thereafter,  are  vividly  impressed  upon 
my  mind. 

The  winds  sweep  by  the  narrow  tomb,  and  all  around 
has  the  loneliness  of  desolation.  But  his  spirit  is  still  among 
us.  Is  not  this  magnificent  temple  a  lasting  monument  of 
his  labors?  Is  not  this  empty  chair  far  more  eloquent  than 
all  eulogies  ?  Is  not  every  Y.  M.  H.  A.  in  the  land  a  testi- 
monial of  his  farseeing  genius  and  his  practical  effort  to 
elevate  the  Jewish  faith  ?  Indeed,  his  memory  will  remain 
forever  green  in  our  heart  of  hearts,  and  when  the  history 
of  the  rise  and  progress  of  the  Jewish  race  in  America  is 
written,  when  the  names  of  those  are  mentioned  who  stood 
foremost  in  the  ranks  of  the  champions  of  progress  and 
humanity,  there  will  be  inscribed  therein,  on  one  of  its 
brightest  pages,  in  letters  of  gold,  the  name  of  our  lamented 
pastor,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Adolph  Huebsch. 

Dr.  A.  S.  Isaacs,  who  had  been  delegated  to  speak  for  the 
Hebrew  Free  Schools,  next  addressed  the  audience  briefly, 
and  dwelt  with  evident  pleasure  upon  the  children's  services 
which  Dr.  Huebsch  had  adopted  for  several  years,  and  into 
which  he  poured  the  fervor  of  bis  whole  soul.  Dr.  Isaacs 
closed  with  an  exceedingly  apt  quotation  in  verse.  An  El 
molee  Bach'  mim  and  Kadish  brought  the  interesting  services 
to  a  close. 


Resolutions. 

AHAWATH    CHESED    CONGREGATION. 

At  a  special  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the  Con- 
gregation Ahawath  Chesed,  the  following  resolutions  were 
unanimously  adopted: 

It  having  been  the  will  of  God  to  remove  Dr.  Adolph 
Huebsch,  our  blessed  Rabbi  in  the  prime  of  his  life  and  at 
the  zenith  of  his  usefulness,  and  while  yet  on  the  threshold 
of  a  career  that  justified  the  most  extravagant  expectations 


—  336    - 

RESOLVED,  That  although  we  bow  with  unfeigned  humility 
to  that  which  appears  to  us  to  be  a  severe  decree  of  an 
all-wise  Providence,  we  cannot  resist  giving  expression 
to  the  intense  grief  with  which  our  great  loss  has  filled 
us. 

RESOLVED,  That  we  desire  thus  to  make  an  inperishable  re- 
cord of  our  ineffable  appreciation  of  his  indefatigable 
zeal  and  tireless  industry  in  promoting  our  welfare  and 
of  the  incalculable  services  he  rendered  to  us.  He  was 
the  source  of  the  material  and  spiritual  prosperity  of 
our  congregation.  For  eighteen  years  he  officiated  as 
our  minister  and  as  the  result  of  his  judicious  adminis- 
tration, our  congregation  was  welded  into  a  bond  of 
unity  of  which  every  member  was  proud  to  form  a  part. 
Our  Temple,  in  which  we  so  often  listened  to  his  words 
of  wisdom  and  consolation,  is  a  monument  to  his 
memory,  constantly  reminding  us  of  the  love  and  homage 
we  owe  him. 

RESOLVED,  That  Judaism,  in  which  we  include  all  humanity 
and  morality,  has  been  deprived  of  a  most  able  expounder 
and  of  a  most  fearless  and  potential  exponent. 

RESOLVED,  That  from  our  constant  and  close  intercourse  with 
him  we  were  enabled  to  form  a  correct  estimate  of  his 
true  character,  and  that  we  know  that  in  him  were  con- 
centrated all  the  elements  that  are  essential  to  the  com- 
position of  an  ideal  man  and  minister. 

RESOLVED,  That  we  condole  with  his  family  in  their  over- 
whelming bereavement,  and  assure  them  that  his  loss  is 
felt  by  each  of  us  as  a  personal  affliction. 

RESOLVED,  That  these  resolutions  be  inserted  upon  the 
minutes  of  this  congregation,  that  they  be  engrossed 
and  a  copy  thereof  be  sent  to  the  family  of  the  illus- 
trious deceased. 

SOLOMON  SIMM,  Pres.  BERN-HARD  HAMBURGER,  V.  Pres. 

CHARLES  SCHWARTZ,  JOSEPH  STERN, 

MORITZ  KELLNER,  SOLOMOX  BOOTY, 

MARCUS  KOHNER,  ISAAC  HARTMAN, 

DAVID  G-REEKTELD. 


—  337  — 

LADIES    SOCIETY   NOSHIM   ZADKONIOTH. 

3-n   ber   ©eneratoerfammlung    beS    S3erem«   „  £ugcnbl)afte 

grauen,"  am  I9tcu  Dftober,  1884,  ttmrbe  $otgenbc3  uerfyanbelt 

unb  befcfyloffen  : 

3  n  (5  r  m  a  g  tin  g,  ba§  e$  ber  unerforfdjltdjen  SSorfefyung  gcfiel  ber 
trbifdjcn  Caufbafyn  wtb  bem  fegen§retd)en  2Strfen  unfcrcS  ge= 
liebten  ^rcbigcr«,  X)r.  2lbolf  £meb[d)  plo^ttd)  ein  giti  git  fe^en, 

$n  grrangung,  ba^  wtr  fdjmerjcrfitnt  bem  9?att)fd)(u[fe  @otte« 
unS  fitgcn  unb  ba§  llnoermeibltdje  ertragen  mitjjcn, 

Ott  Srwagung,  ba^  wir  felbft  beg  Crofted  bcblirfen  unb  bie 
trauernbcn  §mtcrbltcbcnen  ju  troften  unfal;tg  finb,  luurbe 
einftimmtg 

^3efd)(o(fenr  b'enfelben  permit  unfer  inutgfteS  ^3ei(eib  au^u* 
britcfcn  mit  ber  ^tnjufitgung,  ber  trauernben  Sttwe,  Uebenbe 
®d)iiie[tern  unb  ben  armen  Sat[en  aufrtd)tige  $reunbhtnen 
5U  bteiben  unb  tljnen  £>erj  unb  §anb  mit  bem  23erfpredjen 
an^ubieten,  tnfofern  e§  im  23ereid)  ber  ajjoglidifcit,  in  jebcr 
l?age  bc§  8eben§  ib,ncn  ©c^u^  unb  @d)irm  angebetb^en  ju 
(affen. 

48  e  f  d)  I  o  f  |  e  n,  biej'e  9?efolutionen  su  protofolliren  unb  cine  Sopie 
b,ierDon  ben  trauernben  ^)interbttcbcnen  ju  itberreid^en. 


3(.  @tmm,  5lnna  (£tctn, 

9}?.  Sooner,  ^Baberte  ^Bauer,  3Sice^ra(ibent. 

Committee.  Slnnie  31.  Slbler,  ©cfretar. 


Y.  M.  A.  OF  THK  CONGREGATION  AHAWATH  CHESED. 

In  the  Vestry  Rooms  of  the  Ahawath  Chesed  Temple  a 
memorial  tablet  was  erected  by  the  Y.  M.  A.  with  this 
inscription : 

EEECTED 

By  the  Young  Mens  Association  of  the  Congregation 

Ahawath  Chesed,  to  the  memory  of  its  founder, 

REV.  DR.  ADOLPH  HUEBSCH. 

Febuary  26,  1885. 
"He  speaks  even  if  dead." 


—  338  — 

SINGING    SOCIETY. 

At  a  special  meeting  of  the  Young  Ahawath  Chesed 
Singing  Society  of  New  York,  held  at  the  Vestry  Rooms  of 
the  Temple  Ahawath  Chesed,  on  November  5,  1884,  the 
following  Preambles  and  Resolutions  were  adopted: 

WHEREAS,  the  society  having  learned  with  deep  regret  that 

it  has  pleased  the  Divine  Providence  to  remove  from 

this  life  to  one  more  immortal,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Adolph 

Huebsch,  be  it  therefore 
RESOLVED,  That  in  the  death  of  our  beloved  Rabbi,  the  Society 

being   a  branch   of   the   Sabbath   School,  has  lost  an 

honored   Superintendent   and  a  respected  member  of 

Judaism. 
RESOLVED,  That  the  society  tenders  its  sincere  condolence  to 

the  grief  stricken  family  of  the  deceased. 
RESOLVED,  That  the  foregoing  preambles  and  resolutions  be 

entered  in  full  upon  our  minutes  and  a  copy  of  the 

same,  suitable  engrossed  be  handed  over  to  the  family 

of  the  deceased. 

The  Committee  on  Resolutions: 

P.  HERZIG,  Sect'y.  A.  L.  GOLDWATEE,  Pres. 

F.  GunffiBDBa,  Vice  Pres.        G.  SCHWARTZ,  Treas. 
E.  STERN,  E.  KELLER. 


Further  Condolatory  Resolutions  were  sent  from: 
Emanu-El  Congregation;  Beth-El  Congregation;  Con- 
gregation Rodof-Scholom,  Philadelphia;  Congregation 
Anshe-Emeth,  Albany  The  Hebrew  Union  College,  Cin- 
cinnati; The  Ministers  Association,  New  York;  Orphan 
Asylum;  Home  for  Aged  and  Infirm  Hebrews;  Mount  Sinai 
Hospital,  New  York;  United  Hebrew  charities  of  the  city 
of  N.  Y.;  Kindergarten  Nos.  1  and  2  of  the  H.  F.  S.  A.; 
Mount  Neboh  Lodge ;  District  Grand  Lodge,  No.  1,  L  O.  F. 
S.  of  L;  Washington  Lodge,  No.  70,  I.  O.  F.  S.  of  I; 
Metropolitan  Lodge,  No.  60,  I.  O.  F.  S.  of  I. ;  True  Crafts- 
man's No.  651,  F.  and  A.  M.;  Benjamin  Lodge  No.  15,  L  O. 
F.  S.  of  L 


IDorte  ber  IDurbigung. 

©ebadjtniftrebe  auf  ben  Dereroigten  Tr.  9lbolf|)uebfd),  gefyaltcn 

am  ©dftnini  2Ijeret^  5646  a.  2ft.  hn  Xempel  ber  21 1)  a  to  at  I) 

Sljefeb  ©emeinbe  Don  9?eo.  £)r.  SHe^anber  $ol)ut. 


93eref)rte  2lnbad)tige! 

,,2lm  fyeutigen  @abbatf)  Derfammelte  un$  aud)  ba§  Sljeretljfeft, 
umbie^eifyeunferer^efte,  bie  ber  XtfchrtmonatuttS  bracfjte,  loiirbtg 
abjufcfjUe^en.  £>ie  53cbeutung  biefe^  Xagc«  unb  fein  3wecf  ift  Don 
benSlIten  Dietfacf)  ge|ud)t  unb  ermittclt  morben.  <2te  legen  ben 
©rfjmerpunft  in  bie  £ljatfadje,  ba§  ^fraet  fo  fd)ou  an  btefen  Xagcn 
in  ber  ^wuptftabt  beS  Sanbe^  oerfammelt  war,  baft  fie  fo  gemein- 
fam  unb  britberlid)  in  bcm  reinen  ©ebanfcn  ber  ^eiligung  toor@ott 
Dereint  waren,  baft  il)r  tjimmftfdjer  33ater  fie  bittet  unb  i^nen  auf* 
trtigt:  53Ieibet  nod)  einen  £ag  fo  bei  mir,  benn  e§  erfreut  mein 
S3atcr^eq  end)  gu  fe^en." 

!Dicfe  SBorte  finb  geftern  etn  Sofyn  gefdjrieben  worben  tnit  ber 
53efttmmung:  am  Siseretijfeft  uorgetragen  ju  merben.  ®ie  ^rebigt 
ttwrb  aber  nid)t  ge^alten,  j;anid)t  einmat  ganj  au^gearbeitet.  @ie  ge* 
bief)  bloft  bis  ^u  fotgenben  @d)Iuftfa^en:  ^  i:oj;  irn^x  'n  TP 
iJ^'iD'1  ^Nl  l^lj/"1  -f^er  ettiige  ©ott  fei  mit  un§,  er  toerlaffe,er  t»er- 
nicrfe  un«  nidjt.  2)a^  ift  wieber  eine  fefyr  rid)tige  unb  tiefe  5lnroei= 
fung.  2Ba3  madden  luir  au8  unferen  §offnungen,  »a§  mad)en  un* 
fere  ^offnungen  au§  un§. — Sin  ®6ntg  fprad)  einft  jit  feinem  33an* 
meifter:  ^)annft  bit  mir  nidjt  ein  ftotjeS  (Sdjtoft  in  ber  £uft  banen, 
bann  ift  betn  8eben  Derwirft." 

5lt§  biefe  SSorte  mit  fid)erer,  fefter  §anb,  n?ie  ba§  mir  oorge- 
legte  Sftanufcript  jetgt,  niebergefdjrieben  tuaren,  ba  ,,ftieg  ber  Xob 
mie  burd)'3  ^enfter"  unb  entoanb  bem  ©djreibcr  bie  ^eber  cmnNI 
"I  ^E1?  "Dj;  i:my  «unb  bereits  ftanb  2lbraf)am  oor  ©ott." 
toar  bicfer  SIbratjam,  beffcn  plo^tidje^  £infd)eiben  feine 
unfere  grofte  ©emeinbc^amilie,  ja  bie  ©roftftabt  ^ew 
fo  tief  betrauerte  ? 
s  war  Slbra^am,  mit  feinem  beutfdjen  D^amen  Slbolf 


—  340  - 


man  D  run  rprr^  -DD  'no  ^D 
Tij:D*  ,,2Ibral)am  ftanb  auf  bon  f  einem  Xobten,  b.  I).  er  fal)  ben 
£obedengcl  brofyenb  fid)  it)tn  nafycn."  <£o  mar  cd  aud)  mtt 
un  ferem  2lbral)am  ber  gall.  $ei  bem  3u(e£tniebergcfd)nebenen 
3a£:  ,,^ann  ift  bein  £eben  Dcmnrft"  nafyerte  fidj  ifym  ber  £obed= 
engel.  2Hd  3frael  am  £>ofd)ana  ftabba  ben  geft*0jtf)rog  au«  bm 
•pa'nben  legte,  ift  (Slid),  ift  bem  £aufe  ^Jfrael  ni  "nn  VV  ''"ID 
cninx**  in  btefem  Stbrafyam  ein  bitfttger  Stljrog  entrtffen,  Don 
bed  £obe3  unbarm^eqiger  ^anb  erne  fjerrlidje  ^ntcfjt  Don  bem  faft 
bret^aljr^unberte  alten  gamtttenbaum  ber  ^cif  a  V^  gcpftiid  t  wor* 
ben.  21^  Ofrad  au3  fetncm  gcftjeltc  309  n^-wn  crr,z«  ""n^ 
3og  rafd)  2Ibra()am  in  fcin  £tit,  in  jencg  §tmmcl«3elt,  an  roe(d;em 
bie  unftcrblic^cn  ©cifter  al3  (Sterne  glanjen,  um  unfere  Grrbentwdjt 
311  ertcudjten.  ***IQ^  n^^  cm2N^  A  )on:^  ^o  im« 
"£>er  Sngcl,  ber  3lbral)am  bcgcgncte,  fytcfj  97ad)t"  unb  ber  S"ag  an 
toelcfyem  bie  Xrauerfunbe,  unfer  Slbrafyam  rocUc  ntdjt  meljr  unter 
ben  £ebenben,  bli^fdjnell  fief)  Derbreitete,  r^n  r^r?  N'r.n  cvn 
"ber  £ag  ift  pr  x^ac^t  un§  geroorben"  unb  fo  lange  nur  bie 
SUjaroatl)  d^efeb  Oemeinbe  befte^en  nrirb,  blcibt  ber  Xag  fdiwar^ 
angeftrtdjen  unb  wirb  nie  iiber  ifyrn  §id)t  frral)len.  Unb  fo  lagcrt 
and)  fycute,  am  erften  ^a^jeit^tag,  ber  Jraitcr  finftere  vJiad)t  auf 
unfern  ©emiit^ern.  3roar  l)at  bet  3"t  balfamtraufclnbe  ^).inb 
ben  tDiiljlenben  ®d)mcrj  infofcrn  gelinbcrt,  al^  bie  toUben  <3c^mer- 
;;cn3au§brud)c  fid)  allgemad)  (egten,  aber  bie  Don  ber  (Srinncrung 
an  ben  gro^en  Sefyrer  getragcne  unb  Don  ber  ^ietat  gewci^te 
Sdjinerjempfinbung  f)at  laumctroaS  Don  ber^ntenftoitat  Derlorcn. 
Unb  biefer  (grinnernng  foil  nun  id),  fcin  iRadjfolgcr  im  3lmt,  etnen 
entfpredjenben^'oraoljt  bc§  grojjcn  ^eimgcgangcnen  aid  aud)  ber  iljn 
bctrauernben  ©emcinbe  iDitrbigen  5lu3bruct  oerlciljen!  Sie  ©ro^e 
etner  foldjen  2lufgabc,  unter  bcren  3Sud)t  fclbft  bie  ftarfften  <Sd)ul* 
tern  fid)  fritmmen  mitffen,  rairb  fiirron^r  nidjt  er(eid)tcrt  burc^  bie 
^tDergenj  meined  rcligiofen  StanbpunftcS.  ^wbcffen  crmutf)igt 
mid)  bad  Sort  ber  2Utcn  :  ]\si  c\^2J  rv.1?  rbw  1~i<  pro 
"nx  )':ron  c<lN2:na  c^x^j  ^:c;****  "<Stn  ©cbanfe  fommt 
Dtelen  s$rop{)cteu  ein,  abcr  jwei  'ipropljcten  foitncn  ni:l)t  cine  unb 
biefelbe  ©cbanfenauBerung  Ijaben",  b.  1).  ber  Don  ©ott  au^ 


•Genes.  Rabba  C.  5S.    **L3vit.  R  i'>ba  C.  3).    ***3ynhed.  96,b.    ****Synlied.  89,». 


—  341  — 

gefyenbe  propl)etifd)e  ©eift  ift  ©etneingut  a((cr  '•pvopljcicn,  abcr  bte 
Sirfung  unb  #unbgefeungbiefe8®etfte3  mantfeftirt  fid)  Derfdjicbcn* 
artig.  lino  fo  faun,  fo  barf  fclbft  einc  abwcidjcnbe  religiofe  Sluffaf* 
fimg  nid)t  fyinbcrn,  bad  SSevbtcnftbed  unocrgcBtidjcn  gvojjen  Scanned 
Dotlauf  ju  tiritrbigen,  rooju  bcr  SlUgiitigc  und  femen  <£egen  Der* 
leilje ! 

L 

aftetne  anbad)ttgen  3iifjorer! 

Unfere  2Uten  fagcn:  *dnyb  nDiis  ]'^;D  C^^N  ^*n:n 
,,©ebad)tntBreben  i'tber  Dcrbienftoolle  Scanner  ei^eugcu  ©iuc«<  in 
ber  SKelt",  benn  ber  ^erbienftDolIeit  entrolfteS  Sebene*  unb  (S()araf= 
terbtlb  \vcdt  Slnerfcnnimg  einerfctt^,  9iad)eifcrung  anbererfcit^,  fo 
baf;  bie@ebad)tni§rebecine  ^'^zr^m  ^TH  Nip"1  tljeilS  eine^Bitr* 
btgfett  fiir  bie  Xrauernben,  tl)eil§  etne  SBitrbtgung  bed  23e* 
trauerten  ift.  ®ie  eine  ift  bie  notfywenbtge  (grgftnjung  ber  anbcrn. 
Sir  felbft  werben  unferer  Siirbtgfett  tnne,  fo  wir  Don  ber  SKiirbis 
gung  unferer  (in-open  burdjbrungen  ftnb.  llub  bafe  £r.  Stbolf 
^)uebfd)  *?"]  einc  unbcftrtttcne  ©rope  war,  ift  cine  neibtoS  juer- 
lanute  Sttjatfadjc,  bie  un$  nad)  feinem  §cimgnng  nod)  tnefyr  ein* 
leud)tctr  aid  guv  &it,  aid  er  nod),ein  ®terb(id)er,unter  und  gcivctlt. 
S)er  (gbclgetialt  fctned  inncren  2Kertl)ed  war  gluar  ftetd  Ijodjgefdja^t, 
aber  er  war  bod)  gcfteigert  an  2Bertt),ald  wir  i()n  oerloren,  Hal)nlid) 
ber  ^erte,  bie,  wenn  fie  aud)  in  SScrluft  gcratl)  N^N  n"CN  tih 
,T^j?2^***  tl)vcn  2£ertl)  bod)  beibeljalt,  nur  bie  S3erlufttvagcnben 
finb  gwicfad)  bctroffen,  ficl)  unb  Slnbcren  bie  ^erle  entriffen  311 
un'ffen".  Stnbevevfcttd  wicber  gclangt  bie  Sertf)fdja'£nng  einer 
l)eimgegangencn  ©roBe  crft  bann  ju  iljrcm  Dollcn  9?cd)te,  wcnn  ba 
N11J1  «"i^ay  po£\s****  eined  gvofscn  ©cifted  Cicljtfaulc  unfcvcm 
2{uge  cntvitrft  wirb,  bcnn  ed  trrt  bcr  2)?cnfdi,  fo  lange  er  lebt.  (grft 
wenn  er  bad  3cWkf)e  gcfcgnct  unb  ein  Dorurtljcttdlofcr  ^31irf  auf 
feinen  53ilbungd»  uub  i'ebendgang  und  ben  ©diaupla^  geigt,  auf 
wcld)cm  er,  23erfud)ungcn  glitd'lid)  beftcljcnb,  fiimpfenb  fiegtc,  fie* 
gcnb  fcintpftc,  erft  bann  faun  i()tn  ber  Slnerfennung  8iegei?palme 
Don  bcr  vJcad)welt  gcrcidjt  werben. 


*Aboth  d.  a.  Nathan  C.  30.    **Synn.  46  b.    ***Megila  15  a.    "***Ketbub.  17  a. 


—  342  — 

aber  bem  23erewigten  fdjon  bet  Sebjeiten  ueibloS  iiberafl, 
two  er  iwrt'te,  ^ugeftanben  inarb,  bad  ift  bie  $lncrfennuug  ber 
©enialitat,  mit  metier  ©ott  il)ii  begtwbete  unb  toelcfje  er  als 
2ftenf  cf),  ^rebiger  unb  ®clef)rter  in  fetner  fcfyopf  ertfdjen  ®eftaltung§* 
!raft  fo  unjroeibeutig  beroieS.  Obcr  ift  eS  nid)t  genial,  iDcnn  ber 
jeijnja^rige  ©nmnafiaft  fd)on  a(3  begabter  Sefyrer  auftritt  unb  ber 
ad)t$ef)njaf)rige  iunge  2ftann  Doll  SdjaffungSluft  unb  STfyatenbrang 
Reiner  §a(ad)a  dier  @Ucn"  Derla'Bt,  um  fid)  ba3  ®d)raert  ju  urn* 
gitrten  unb  in  bcm  bentiuurbtgen-^a^reungarti^er  5«il)cit§fdntpfc 
filr  bie  unterbriicfte  greifjeit  ju  fedjten?  3ft  ^  tiidjt  genial,  luenn 
ber  jugenbli^e  Sampe  nad)  bcm  traurigen  SluSgang  ber  §rcil)cit^ 
fantpfe  bei  SSUagoS  ben  ^oniuebofficier^rocf  ablegenb,  einfal)  ->K 
Nl^D  *b  KE^D  \S  «B'I'I3  N^>  «1DD*  w©o  ba§  8ud)  ift,  ift 
ba3  Scfjroert  entbetjrtic^,  mo  ba3  8d)ttcrt  ift,  ift  bad  53u^  entbefjr= 
lid)  !"  ^rieg  unb  (gtubtum  fd)(ieBcn  [ify  au3.  2)tit  bcm  2(btcgen 
be^  (SdjwerteS  griff  er  nad)  bem  33u5)e,  Don  bem  $rieg§fd)aup(afc 
ging  er  uacf)  ber  gaffer  3efd)tba,  um  unter  bcm  grojjcn  Xalmubiften 
9^abbi  ^oet  Ungar  an  ben  unbtutigcn,  abcr  utd)t  minber  miif)cuollen 
getftigen  $a'mpfcn  tatmubifdjeit  SOMmtngSftreitcS  lebfjaften  Stnttjeil 
ju  net)men.  ^ft  e8  nic^t  genial,  ttenn  er  mit  gfanjcnbcm  9tabbi* 
nat§-^)iplom  auSgeriiftet  balb  barauf  inSKtatiaetne  9iabbinat&- 
ftclle  bcftcibct,  abcr  Don  feinem  gorfdjungSbrang  gctrtebcn,  bie  tat* 
mubifdje  Sialeftif  tuiffenfc^aftlid)  $u  Dertiefen,  nid)t  lange  barauf 
bie  $ntte  mit  bem  ©tubentenvoct  Dertaufd)t,  um  a(d  27}al)riger 
2)?ann  auf  btc  acabcmifd)e  @d):ifban!  gu  ^rag  fid)  gu  fe^en,  um 
brei  -O'atjre  barauf  in  einer  angcfeljencn  ©emeinbe  bafetbft  micber 
a(3  9?abbiner  unb  'iprebiger  aunutaudjen,  gead)tet  felbft  Don  eincm 
^Rappoport,  ®a'mpf,  ^rcunb  unb  ®cffclt)  ?  (So  tDar  bli^artig,  luie 
fein  @ctft  au.^  ber  2cb;n§lauf  unfcrcS  §e(ben,  ber  al3  35ja'I)rtger 
Wlam  fid)  eineS  9?ufcd  erfreute:  a(§  tahnubifdjer  ^ialeftifer, 
claffifd)cr  ^Ijilolog,  Iitcrar()iftortfd)er  ftorfdjer,  Dor  SIflcm  abcr  ati 
rebegcroalttger  SJJeifter  unb  Don  air  biefen  mannigfad)cn  53cgabim- 
gen  gcniale  <Sd)riftproben  licfcrte,  foiuoljl  in  grciycren  un'e  ttcinercn 
n)iffcnfcl)aftlid)cn  3(rbcitcn**,  al^  aud)  in  mct)rcrcn  im  ^rucf  er- 
fc^iencnen  "iprebigten,***  incWje  nad)  Slntage  unb  ^)tttion  nod)  in 
bie  3C^  feiner  (Sturm*  unb  £)rangpcriobe  juritcfrctd)cn. 


*Ab  Zara  17  b.  **Comment.  zu  d  5  Megflloth  (a.  anch  mein  Aruch  Coinpl.,  III. 
253).  Aufsatze  in  Low's  B.  ChauaDja.  ***Orcho  \\'ojinitcbo,  Bezalel,  Danksagiingspre- 
digtu.  8.  w. 


—  343  — 

£)od)  balb  barauf  trttt  unfer  £elb  in  eine  neue  SebenSfteflung 
unb  bie  bitrd)  fie  bebingte  ncue  ^S()a[e  etgener  .^bcenentnricfelung. 
golgen  ttnr  il)tn  aud)  auf  btefeS  ©cbiet,  ba  biefeS  feineS  funfelnben 
©eifteS  ©traljlen  in  fyerrlidjfter  @d)bne  un3  jetgt! 

n 

liefer  neue  8eben$abfdmttt,  in  |)ittftd)t  ber  eigcnen  geiftigen 
^rafte^ntfaltung  unb  ®efta(tung  gleid)  und)ttg,beginntbeiunferem 
§elben mtt  bem  9?abbinot6antrttt  in  ber  ©emeinbe  Sl^awatl) 
(Sljefeb. 

3fnfofern  aud)  ein  OJJinjan  Don  $eb,n  ^eijonen,  bie  fid)  ju  gotten 
bienftlidjen  3'^ecfcn  jufaminenfmben,  eine  Oemetnbe  genannt  inirb, 
infofern  fann  fif^erlic^  auc^  unferer  ©emeinbe  bie  33et(cgung  biefer 
^Benennung  ntc^t  ftrettig  gema^t  merben,  iuenn  aud)  fene  ttor  18 
^a^ren  nod)  in  ben  primttiDftenSntimtfetttngSptjafen  begriffen  n?ar. 
£>ajj  aber  btefe  unfereOemeinbe  aUina^tig^n  eincr  £&nw^3  CN1  Ty 
folc^  ad)tnnggebietcnbcn,  muftergiiltigen  ^anptgemcinbe  ber  neuen 
2Beit  werben  fonntc,  ift  au^er  bem  nobten  Sefen,  ber  Opferfrcubtg* 
feit  unb  reltgtofen  -Q3egeifterung,  wetc^e  btefe  ©cmeinbe  »on  allem 
Slnfang  fo  oortt)et(b,aft  auSjeic^nete,  in  oor^itgttdjer  SBctfe 
btenft  i^rc«  erften  ^abbincr^,  unfere§  Dr.  Slbolf  §itcbfdj 
DH13K  HT*  ,,G3  h)erbe  2id)t!"  barnnter  ift  bie  2td)tcr* 
fd^einung  2lbrah,am^  gemetnt.  (Sine  foldje  war  aud)  fitr  btefe  ®e= 
metnbe  unfer  5lbral)am  ETON  ni  niTaa  "i^yn  ''D**  9)Jit  bem 
au§  fernemDften  einl)er^tc[)cnben3tbrab,am  jog  etnfyer  bie SnweiJung 
unb  mit  tf)m  licfjtcte  fid)  ba§  ©emeinbe^SljaoS.  (5r  fpra^  e« 
au§  ba$  fc^opfertfd)eSort:  ,,(55tt)erbe2id)t!"  unb  ^id)t  ift  gettorben 
in  ben  ^opfen,in  ben  |)er,en,in  bem  §aufc,in  ber  ©dnife,unb  ttor 
SlUem  im  ©otte§b,aufe.  (55  iwar  fein  grclle^,  ba§  5luge  b(cnbenbc§, 
e«  war  ein  mitbeS,  fanfteS,  iDoljtt^ncnbc*  Stt^t;  e§  tvar  nid)t  ba^ 
§elllid)t  ber  SBtntcrfonne,  roeldje  nur  leuc^tet  ol)ne  gu  eni)armen,e^ 
txiar  baSjenige  ber  5r&fytitt8$foTtttt,  °'e  wa'rmenb  teud^tct  unb  lend)* 
tenb  warmt,  ot)ne  gu  ocrfengen,  ju  oerfe{)rett  nDioi  n 
•T'Djra  .r1)a3  mi(be  8id)t  biefer  ©onne  t)atte  ^cilung  an  ben 
gen."  g^  I)ct(te  junadjft  bie  35orurt()ei(«uot[cn,  bie  ciitcn  geortweten, 
Ucl)ten  Ootte^bicnft  ofjne  bie  aftellnorbnuug  fid)  gar  nidjt  bcnf'cn  fonn* 
ten;  e§  tjciltc  bie  'jftafefofen,  bie  in  itjren  ^efonnbeftrcbungen  don 


*Genes.  Rabba  C.  2.    **Jesaia  41,2  siehe  die  Commentatoren. 


—  344  — 

!einem  ,,$8i3  fyierfyer  unb  nicfrt  wetter!"  mtffen  wottten,  wofyt  aber 
auf  jene  £>of)e  Ijtnaufftiirmen  modjten,  don  wo  au§  eine  freie  2(u3- 
ftdjt  fid)  jeigte  in  ba§— blaue  9?id)t3  unb  ^n  ?pma3  hy  auf 
welcfjen  Db'ljen  ba$  .$ubentl)um  lebloS  ba  lage  unb  dor  tauter 
®eift  fetnen  Seben^getft  au§i)auc^cn  mbdjtc,  benn  ein  for^crtofcr 
©eift  ift  ebenfo  toenig  ber  StuSbrucf  be^  edjten  ^ubentfjumS  al§  etn 
getfttofer  ^orper.  i6en  ^orper  ober,  b.  t.  bte  tebensfrifdjen,  re(t= 
gtbfen  gonnen,  mtt  bent  @eift  be§  getouterten  S'ubetitljumS  in  etn= 
^Uttc^c  ^armonifdje  SSec^felbejte^ung  gebradjt,  ^u  etnem  organi= 
fcfycn  ©anjen  jttfamjnwigefiigt,  bte  ©cfjtaffen  aufgcritttett,  bte  ^n^ 
bifferenten  bcgciftert,^«  "mis  bteStdjt[d;cuen  mit  bem2td)t  red)ter 
(Srt'enntni^  oer[b^itt  unb  bte  ©titrmler  gu  rul)tgcrem  @ang  be- 
»egt  ju  fjabcn— ba§  SllleS  war  ba3  Serf  be§  Cannes,  ber  e3  wie 
fetten  etner  oerftanb,  mtt  ber  Sarnie  fcincS  fitr'^  ^ubetttljum  er* 
glitljenben  ^>erjen§,  mtt  bem  gidjte  femes  bte  8djonl)etten  unb 
^beale  be§  ^wbentfjumS  f(ar  erfcfycmenbcn  ©eiftcS  ba§  berettS  Sr= 
ftarrte  ju  beleben  unb  ba^  <Sdjetntobte  ^um  ncucn  ^afein  gu  er= 
wecfen.  S)tefcS  organtfatortfdje  unb  fdjbpferifdje  Sirfen  tncldje^ 
alien  @d)tcf)ten  be§  @emetnbeleben§  ^u  ©uie  fam  unb  ber  itber 
5lllc§  geltebten  SHjawatfy  S^efeb  ©cntctnbe  mtt  ttjrem  ^radjttempei 
eine  tmmer  folibere  ©runbtage  gab,  Ijatte  aber  aud)  in  bem  9fteifter 
felbft  mandje  2SanbIungen  Ijeroorgcrufcn,  feine  innere  Gntwicfelung 
lief  gtetcf)fant  parallel  mtt  berjenigen  ber  ©emetnbcHSntwtcMung 
unb  wieber  ift  e^  wafyr  geworben: 

,,!$m  engen  l?rei§  ocrengert  fief)  ber  @inn, 

&3  mad) ft  ber  Sftcnfdj  mit  fetnen  groperen  £\vedtn.u 
35on  ben  au^gegcbenen  ©djlagmbrtern:  Ortl)obojie,  9?c= 
form  g(etd)  entfernr,obinol)l  (caterer  l)innetgenb,fud)teerfict)  fein 
3fubcntf)um  nad)  ber  etgcnen  ^perjcnSmarme  unb  bem  (Sdjrounge 
fetne^  er(eud)teten  ©etftcd  Hdjtoofl  gu  confrrutren  unb  in  bem  don 
i^m  derfa^tcn  ©ebetbuc^,  fetncr  §aupt(eiftung,  ctnen  fid)tbaren 
Slu^brucf  gu  geben.  ^icr  fommcn  gum  ficgrctdjen  T)urd)brucf)  be§ 
SScrfafferS  feltene  ©genfd)aften :  <Sd)mung  ber  (£prad)e  neben 
8etd)tfaBltd)fett,  bte  ^oefte  bc§  Qrrtjabenen  im  Ghtfadjen,  bte  9?e- 
formanfdjauungen  gena'{)rt  don  bem  confcrdatiden  ©etft  beS  alten 
^ubent^umS,  ba^cr  bie  33etbcf)altung  dicfer  Ijebratfdjen,  menn  auct) 
geftctjteten  unb  ftiliftifct)  gcfcilten  ©ebetftucfe  unferem  ®tbbur 
etnen  gem  iff  en  confcrdatiden  (ifyarafter  aufpragt.  Sem 


—  345  — 

fd)en$0nnfinn,  f  enter  ber,  trots  tt)rer9?eformbeftrebungenim  ©runb= 
wefen  bod)  ntefyr  confertmttoen,  9frd)tung  unferer  ©emcrnbe  muftte 
alfo  etit  fo  geartcter  @ibbur  fo  red)t  31111:  abaquaten  2lu&brucf 
tf)re§  ®otte3btenfte$  werben,  baljer  fid)  bie  3at)ia,!cit  unb  liebeDolte 
2tnl)angltd)!cit  unfcrer  ®emeint>e  3 it  ifyrein  ©ebetbud)  (eid)t  erftart. 
Datteber  gritlpottenbetefrinefonfttge&iftung  at^bieieS  ©ebetbud), 
er  wave  fd)ou  baburd)  in  feiner  Ocmctnbc  unfterblid)  gewovben  im 
e§  talmubtfdjcn  @a^c§  M^«  inbcnb  Cip»  yaipn  ^D 

?2  crrotf*  »2Ber  feincm  ©ebcte  ctnen  befttmmtenOrt  feft* 
fe^t,  bem  ftetjt  ber  ©ott  Stbra^om'^  pr  ©cite."  £ber  nidjt  blo§  in 
nnfcrer,  and)  nod)  in  anberen  ©emeinbcn,  t)at  fid)  feftge^t  ba8 
cn~i2«i  rrnribb  SlbmljamS  ©cbet,  moge  e^  (Sr^orung  finben 
oom  ®otte  2lbra^am« ! 

!3)od)  nod)  ©rb'^ereS  als  in  fetnen  (itcrarifd)en  ?eiftungcn,  benen 
fid),  beilaiifig  gefagt,  etae  gebtcgene  tt>iffenfd)aft(id)e  llnterfud)- 
ung**  nnb  tnand)  fdjSfcbarer  miffenfd)afttid)er  9^ad)(a§  anfd)(ie§t, 
Dollbrad)te  ber  33ereii)tgte  in  feiner  paftoralen  Xfyattgfett.  Oben= 
on  fte{)t  fetne  33erebfamfeit.  'Die  einfd)meid)etnbc,  gcmetnoer* 
ftiinbltd)er  mtt  Slnefbotcn  anb  ^Bet^ljettgfentensen  reidjltd)  genntqte 
^rebigtbtction,bfe  i()n  fo  poputcir  tnadjte,  f:ine  ^inrei^eube  ©uaba, 
bte,  lueim  fie  f onft  ntd)t  nnterl)a(tenb,  f onbcrn  aud)  belel)renb,  bte  dpii* 
gebreften  tabelnb,  mtt  ber  ^auge  einer,  ubrigens  gutmitt^tgcn,  ©a- 
t^re  3itred)ttt)etfenb  roar,  etne  fettene  ^raft  entfalten  fonntc,  1-,^;  ^ps 
nnin  war  lute  bie^ttmme  be^^emalttgen  »on  utad)ttger  2£irfnng. 
(Sr,  ber  anfd)einenb  SlUen  es  ju  9?ed)t  tljnt,  gema^  ber  talmubtfd)en 
Slnmeifung  c^tsp^  c^siyj  D^runttf  "inn  nt^N***  ir^cil  bent 
^ettalter,  ba  bte  ©ro|en  ben  Clemen  ge^ord)en;"  er,  ber  e^  rate 
felten  einer  Derftanb:  iner  regieren  will,  mn§  gel)ord)cn  fb'nnen,  er 
war  eine  ©rojjmadjt  in  ber  ©cmetnbe.  @ro§  unb  ffetn  fal)  auf  i()it, 
Wie  auf  bie  allcin  ma^gebenbe  Ort^autorttat  cinpor  unb  bieSmal 
^eip  e^  wirflid)  ,,ber  ^ropljet  gt(t  in  fetnem  SSaterlanb."  Wilt  bcm 
furjen  ©a^:  ,,T)er  doctor  l)at'3  gefagt",  ober  ,rber  doctor  tuiU  e§ 
fo"!  Ibfte  fid)  feber  SBortftrett,  orbnctcn  fid)  bie  £)i3f)armonien  in 
Slllent,  mag  e3  eine  ^rioat*,  ^amilten*,  ©emctnbe*,  @d)ul-  ober 
@^nagogenangelegenl)eit  betroffeit  Ijaben.  (Sr  fit^rte  alliiberall  ba« 


*Berach.  6  a.        **Elia  Delmedigo's  Beehinath  Hadath  und  Ibn  Boachd's  Fagl  ul- 
maqual  iu  Griitz  Monatssch.  xxxi,  555  fg.        ***Rosch  Hasch.  25  a. 


—  346  — 

(Scepter  imb  war  bag  Ijodjfte  2lppeIIationgforum. 
1T3  mo^ni  }Klb*  £>ei(  ifym,  ber  eg  fomeit  gebradjt  burd) 
bie  ©otteggabe  feincr  ^afjigfetten,  feincr  2J?enfdjenltebe,  2ftenfd)en* 
fenntniffe,  f  etner  ©enialitat.  2Ug  21  tyro n  f enter  ©emeinbe 
fd)lid)tete  cr  alien  ©treit,  war  er  ber  23ertraute,  ber  £>augfreunb 
after  ^umilien.  2ftg  2ft of eg  f  etner  ©emeinbe  gab  er  ifjr  ©efe^e, 
mar  er  tfyr  (Srstefyer  unb  SBegroeifer.  2ln  feincm  getftigen  ©a'nget* 
banb  luarb  getettet  ba§  fcfjulpfli^ttge  ^inb,  Don  tfym  warb'8  confir- 
mtrt,  gerraut,  leiber  bfter^  and)  betrauert.  2t(§  (Sit  a  8  f  etner  ©e* 
metnbe  geroann  er  ber  (Sftern  §erj  bitri^  bie  ^tnber,  ber  $tnber 
§eq  bnrd)  bie  (gltern.  ©n  ^weiter  2td)ttof  et,  war  fetn  9?at^  un* 
fetjtbar.  ©etn  f(arer33erftanb,  [eine  intereffentofe  S^rli^fett,  feme 
ungefyeitcfjelte  ^p^ilantropie  trafen  immer  baS  9ttcf)tige.  2Ba§ 
SSunber,  wenn  er  ate  ^rebigcr,  Serat^er,  ^auSfreunb  unb  dor= 
gUglic^fter  @e)eflfd;after  auf  ben  §anben  2lUer,  im  ^er^en  2lUer  ge= 
tragen  warb  unb  Don  ifym  fic^  beroa^rte:  lay  ^D  pitf"1  ^D  hy 
bitrrf)  feincn  2ftimb  warb  georbnet  bie  compltctrte  2lnge(egen^eit 
etner  groBcn  ©emetnbe.  $$r  ©ebtetcr  unb  Wiener  gugfetct),  i^r 
§errfd)er  unb  ©treitcr  jugtei^,  if)r  ^Berattjer  unb  non  ttjr  berat^en 
jugleidj,  tjereintgte  er  fonft  unoerfo^nlic^e  ©egcnfafce,  toag  nur 
einem  ©cnte,  mie  er  eg  mar,  geltngen  fonnte. 

Unb  ttenn  er  ^r  em  ben  bag  gemejen,  mag  mar  er  erft  tm 
engen  gfltntlienteben,  im  $reife  ber  @cintgenr  an  ber  @eite  feineg 
flugen,  gartbcfattetett  SScibeg  unb  feiner  Dortrefflirfjen  ^tnber? 

gitrma^r,  nur  bie  btd)teri|d)e  ^eber  etneg  £)r.  §uel)fd)  Kttnte 
fold)e  ^Soefie,  meldje  itber  fein  ^ttmtlienteben  auggegoffen  mar, 
fonnte  fotdje  ©emittt)ginntg!eit,  bie  fid)  Ijter  gum  2lugbrnc!  bradjte, 
mitrbtg  befd^reiben.  2lug  biefem  ©rnnbe  entfyatte  id)  mid)  and)  beg 
23erfud)eg,  biefcg  gamilienleben  yo.  setd)nen,  fonnte  id)  bod)  ofjnefjin 
fetn  rrcueg  ^3i(b  banon  geben,  unb  jerrte  blo^  an  ber  nod)  frifdjen 
^erjengmunbe  ber  Scibtragenben.  $m  2ltlgemeinen  fann  id)  blo§ 
fagen:  p^nD  NS'1  1j?o  »SSon  bent  ©tarfen  ftromte  @it§igfeit." 
®er  ^tarfe  brau^cn  mar  fo  gart  im  eigenen  §aufe.  3)er  »ieler= 
probte,  erfafyrene  2)Zann  mar  ein  ^inb  oon  meidjer  ®emitt^g= 
empfinbung.  !Dcr  toon  beg  ©efdjicfeg  rau^en  ^ritfungen  2tbge= 
^artete  mar  fonft  unb  milbfjersig.  X)er  i^y  '•m  nn«ifber 


*Pes8achim  50  a. 


—  347  — 

goroe  bes  £>odjtt)atbe$,"  ber  8oroe  ber  ©efettfdjaft,  fyatte  nnter  ben 
(geinigen  ein  £aubenl)er$.  £iebegirrenb  g(eicf)  einer  £aube  lofte  er 
fie;  fitr  fie  $n  forgen,  fie  beftenS  ?u  toerforgen,  erfitltte  fcin  gan^eS 
2Befen.  2Ber  befdjreibt  bie  $reube,  bie  fein  SSatertjerj  in.  IjeUtgcn 
SBonnefcfyauern  erbeben  macfyte,  ate  er  furs  Dor  feinem  £obe  feine 
cttteftc  gcliebte  £od)ter,  Routine,  mit  einem  SBtebermann  oertobte. 
£)a§  fottte  ein  (S^rentag  tuerben.  £)ie  ganje  ©emetnbe  foltte 
ehtcn  grcubentag  ^aben.  @r,  ber  33ertrauter  ber  §ait«freunb  lUIer, 
toolttc  fie  3l(lc,  2lUe  im  ©aufe  t)aben,  ntc^t  ate  ®dfte,  ate  greunbe. 
£>a§  war  feine  3Sorna^me!  (55  fottte  letber  anberS  tommeti!  SBie 
fc^rieb  er  eg  bod)  an  feinem  ©terbetage  in  propfjetifdjer  3Sora^= 
nnng?  ,,2Ba3  madjen  wir  aits  imferen  v'poffnungen,  toa^  mad)en 
unfere  ^offnungen  au$  mt^?"  (S3  mar  ein  £uftfd)Iofj !  (Sr  fonnte 
ba^@Iit(f  ber<3einigenbegrimben,c3  aber  nid)t  mit  erteben.  ,,£)a3 
i^eben  derrairfen"  mar  feine  le£te  3e^e-  &  beenbete  ben  @a&  nid)t. 
(Seine  ^3rebigt  blieb  ein  ^Brndjftiicf, aber  nid)t  fetn  Seben,  foenn 
auc^  biefem,  nac^  menfd)tid)em  Urttjett,  eine  tange  Saner  ^atte  nod) 
Dorljeroertitnbet  inerben  fonnen.  ©liinjenb  einem  Ofteteore  ab^n* 
lid)  aufgetjenb,  $tt>ei  SBelten,  bie  alte  nnb  nene,  erlettd)tenb,  ging  er 
and)  plb'^lid)  inie  ein  Meteor  nicber.  ©(eidjiDol)!  Id§t  er  8id)tftreifen 
5itrit(f,bie  anu'pimmel  ber3Biffcnfd)aft,  ^unftberebfamfeit,  abcr  t)or 
SUlem,  am  ^iinmet  unf ercr  ®emetnbe,  nte  fic^  oeqtcljen  njerben.  Sa§ 
er  geleiftet  miegt  ein  lang  geftrecfteS  9J?cnfd)cnkben  anf.  3)2a'g  man 
bei  einem  Stnberen  t)on  gcn)b'{)ntid)cm  £>nrd)fdmitt§ma§  bebauern, 
ba^  er  ntd)t  nod)  gefyn,  ^wanjig  3at)re  getcbt;  bei  einem  ©enie 
fommt  bicfc  t(einltd)e  3JZa§bevcd)nung  nid)t  tn  ^3etrad)t.  S5ielleid)t 
fann  and)  ein  ®enie  nidjt  att^nlang  leben,  benn  e^  erfiimmt  rafd)er 
tuie  ber  Du^enbmtnfd)  ben  ^)bl)ejpnnt"t  ber  8eiftnng§t)oltfommenl)eit. 
2tte  2lbral)am,  fagen  bie  Sllten,*  auS  (Sljaran  ^og,  iiberfd)ritt  er 
ba§  52fte  ^tjr;  unfer  5lbrat)amgingbc^gletd)enin^  53fte  3=al)r  ate 
er  won  bunncn  jog.  £)arauf  bettete  man  il)n  in$  fiiljte  ®rab,  unb 
bie  ^ictcit  feiner  ©cmeinbe  erridjtetc  feinen  fterblid)en  9?eftcn  ein 
gar  I)crrtid)C§  Sftomnncnt,  iuc(d)c§  wtr  geftern  mitnnferenXIjra'ncn 
benc^tcn.  Sltlein  fo  inte  bie  ^W  53  im  ^ebrciifdjen  ]a  (©arten) 
lantct,  fo  fann  bie^  un8  fi)mboltfd)  anbcnten  ijj^  i"i>  i"ni,  ber 
©otte^tiebUng  na{)in  in  feineS  53ften^eben^jal)re^  errcid)ter33erDoU* 


*Sielie  Ab.  Zara  9  a. 


—  348  — 

fommnung  23efi£  tion  feinem  fytmmlifdjen  ©arten.  <Semer  tin* 
fterbltdjfeit  itn  §tmmel  entfprad)  biejenige  auf  grben.  2tud)  fyier 
fyatte  er,  gleicf)  Slbrafyam,  cinen  ,<patn  angelegt,  DTiD  nwyw  ivhv 
C'HJs  'J^D  ^D  12  tfEJl*  etnc  fjerrlidje  ^flanjung  nrit  foftlidjen 
grucfjtbaumen  angelegt,  e3  ift  btefe  juna'djft  bie,  fojufajjett  neuge- 
grihtbete,  SKjomat^  S^efeb  ©emetnbe  mit  ifjren  foftltrfjett  grud)t« 
baumett,  i^ren  Ijcrrliijcn  Onftttuttonen. 

!©arf  man  fagen:  <5r  ^at  fein  irbtfcfycS  8eben  oerroirft? 
9Jein!  6r  wurbe  reif  fiir  ba§  ^immttirfje!  £)cr  X^enfftein  wirb 
langft  [c^onemCpferbert}enr)itternben3ctt  geraorben  fetn,a(§  fein 
97amc  noc^  in  f  cinen  unfterblidjen  Seiftungen  f  ortleben  inirb.  2115  2lbra* 
Ijam  ftarb,  fagen  bte  Sttten,**  erfjob  ftc^  felbft  an3  bem  2)2unbe  ber 
©ro^en  ba§  Ulagetieb:  ,,2Bel)!  ber  SSett,  bie  if)ren  giitjrcr;  mfyl 
bem  8d)tffe,  ba5  fetnen  ©teucrmann  Derloren!"  Die  im'ffenfdjaft^ 
Itdje  SSelt  ber  neucn  3Be(t  Ijat  oertoren  in  £)r.  Slboif  ^uebfc^  VT 
einen  gitljrer,  ba3  ©emctnbef^iff  feinen  Steuermann.  Slber  ba  er 
bieS'tippen  im«  ge^eigtbie  p  nmgeljen  finbjo  tjoffen  tnir,baB  auci) 
eine  ratnber  ftarfe  £mnb,  namlid)  bie  itnfcrige,  bad  ©eraeiubefdfiff 
and)  bann  nictjt  gu  ©tranbe  bringen  biirfte,  tocnn  auc^  mancfje 
fleine  Slbbtegungen,  iDelcfje  bie  feitbem  entbccften  ncnen  &(\$> 
pen  fogar  nbt^ig  madden,  erfolgen  foflten.  9#oge  ber  ©ott 
Slbra^amd  mid)  erfyoren  unb  biefe  ^Itppen  un«  gUtdltd)  um= 
f^iffen  loffcnl  2l(^  @Ita  auf  geuerroffen  gen  §imme(  ftieg,  bat 
fein  9?ad)folger  (Slifa  ^K  inns  C^jiy  ''O  N3  M^'  »3Jiod)te 
ein  X)oppetant^eil  5>inc3  ©cifted  mir  pf  alien!"  3u 
ba§  feine  4Bitte  ©r^orung  fanb,  war  it)in  ber  ^ropljctcnmantel 


Stud)  mir,  bem  D^adjfolger,  ber  id),  gletd)  bem  cerciptgten 
ganger  ba«  gemcinfame  23ater(anb  nidjt  oljne  3a9cn  ocrliep,  unb 
and)  fonft  mandje  Sebcn^bcriit)rung5punfte  mit  i()m  ^abc,  aud)  mir 
brangen  fid)  jc^t  btcfe  ©cbcts»orte  auf  bte  Sippcn:  8ap,  o  A^crr, 
5DoppeIantl)eU  mir  incrben  oon  bc5  tterenngten  2(int§bruberg  unb 
greunbc^  ^egabung!  (Stnmal  la^  aud)  mid)  mit  feincr  ^'lugljeit 
biefe  ©emetnbe,  bie  aud)  id)  innig  Hebe,  fiiftren,  unb  fobann  mit 
feinem  ©titcfe  fie  lucitertitfyren  auf  ber  ^3al)n  ber  ©ottcSfnrdjt, 
geiftiger  unb  materieller  ^roeperirung.  So  bete  id).  ;}d)  jjoffe 


*Sota  10  a.        **B.  Bathra  91  a. 


—  349  — 


bte  ©erociljr  mcme§  ^fefyenS,  fo  audj  mtr  ber  (SftaSmantel  geretd)t 
roerben  ttirb,  bcr  ,,fctbft  $el)(er  juberfenbe  Mantel"  ber  ©unft,  ber 
SBUlfaljrigfeit,  be§  unerfd)i'ttter(id)en  35ertrauen3,  ber  g(eid)ctt 
SBercitfdjaft  fid)  (eiten  ju  toffcn.  2Benn  erft  $rembe,  unb  ab  unb 
gu  and)  Scrufene,  fid)  ntdjt  metjr  SJJii^e  gebett  trtcrben  bem  unfrudjt- 
baren  ©efdjcift  nad)^ugel)en,  inorm  ber  swette  9?abbmer  ber  5tt)awat^ 
St)cfeb  ©cmcinbc  bcm  crftcn  SI)neIt,  unb  worm  er  Don  ifym  ab* 
tocfa^t,  menn  fie  oorerft  aud)  bem  8ebenbcn  ©ercdjttgfett  tniber* 
foljrcn  laffen,  ttjm  mit  ^iebe  unb  ^treue  folgen,  bann  irirb  fid)  be* 
ttaf)ren  ba§  Sort  be^  ©ebete^,  tt>e(d)e3  nod)  fterbenb  gletdjfam  al§ 
33ermadjtntB  oon  bem  33ater  unb  ftreunb  btefer  ©emeinbe  tft  ge* 
fprocfyen  inorben: 


unfer  ©ott  mit  uns  fein,  er  iotrb  un§  ntmmer  Dertaffen,  nimmer 
demerfen!" 

®u  aber,  grower  S3erf(arterr  ber  ®u  gletd)  unferem  <Stamm* 
Dater  2lbral)am  einen  gbclftein  trugeft,  bet  beffen  5lnblicf  felbft 
^ranfe  gefunb  murbcn:*  ben  gbelftein  ber  aJZenfdjentiebe,  T)u 
fdjmcbe  aud)  mtr  al^  (eud)tcnbe§  9ftufterbtlb  oor,  n)ie  man  §erjen 
gettmmenfbnne;  T)it  grower  3Serf  tarter!  llmfreife  f  enter  fort  unb  fort 
£)etne  getiebte  ©emctnbe  in  if)r  tebcnb,  iiber  t^r  n^ebenb,  ein 
^riebensenget  fie  umgebenb.  Sir  Side  aber  fegnen®cin  Slnbenfen 
al^  baS  eine^  2)?anne§,  ber  ,,bcn  ^3eftcn  fciner  geit  gcnug  gett)an 
unb  gelebt  fjat  fitr  alte  3e^en"^  ^  f^S^en  £)id),  an  bcm  fid) 
erfitflcn  bic  Sorte  ber  ^.  8d).  (Daniel  12,  3.)  ,,1)ie  fdjon  ()icnteben 
geteud)tet,  gtanjcn  glcid)  bem  £>immel§finnamcnt,  bie  fid)  um  bie 
©efammtfjeit  oerbient  gcmad)!,  gteid)  belt  ©terncn  fitr  unb  fitr/' 


*B.  Bathra  16,  b. 


Inscription  on  Monument. 


ON  BACK: 

Erected  by  the 
Congregation  Ahawath  Chescd, 

and  the 
Ladies    Society   Noshim   Zadkonioth. 


"  Instead  of  marble  pillar, 
When  further  lives  my  name, 

Let  ray  fulfilled  ideas, 
My  memory  proclaim," 


—  350  — 
Inscription  on  Monument. 


Compiled  by  PROF.  DB.  MIELZHSNEB,  Cincinnati,  O. 
On.  Front: 

0     *2 


:nn 


,BteM  7'"  nras 
ion  -ronN*  my1?  -n 
ty  o^iom  y^nx  |3 
'"ID  ^  am 

inn 

]n  pain  vn 
to1?  irr^n  D^ 


nyn  npbns 
mn  n:D  12 


i11  mn 

Rev.  Dr.  ADOLPH  HUEBSCH, 
born  Sept  18,  1830,     —    died  Oct.  10,  1884 


Printed  by  Adolph  L.  Goetzl,  226  E.  sjth  Street,  N.  Y. 


A     000  171  692     7 


